


The Glow

by PikaPals16



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: 1500s, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cuddling & Snuggling, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Homophobia, Jane is kind of here tho, Secret Relationship, aralyn - Freeform, but it's fine, cuz it's the 1500s, he doesn't deserve anyone, henry sucks, i also don't know their lifestyle or what ppl did so there's that, mary is like super sweet, so it's easier for me, the other queens are only there for like the end of the fic, we're gonna pretend the age gaps are smaller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:27:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 28,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24903067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PikaPals16/pseuds/PikaPals16
Summary: The glow happens when you share a significant moment with your soulmate, not necessarily first touch but you know, sometimes it is.You never know what the universe has in store for you.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine of Aragon
Comments: 95
Kudos: 177





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know, i've read so much third person i think i can write in it now. yay! third person story!

When you and your soulmate share a significant event, the Glow™ appears. It could be a first touch, a first kiss, you never know.

In the 1500s, soulmates are somewhat complicated. See, female beings are still married off at young ages. About a quarter of them never find their soulmates. Another quarter are married to their soulmates (or end up married to them if their first husband dies). The remaining half get disowned after their Glow™ happens with someone else.

Disowning, imprisonment, exiling, execution, you get the idea.

But even if they did find their soulmate, the relationship wasn't always healthy. Being the 1500s, women were still mistreated a lot. It is said that your soulmate is supposed to treat you the best, always be there for you, by your side, give you lots of love. To those still being abused, the thought of being treated worse gives them shivers. And so they stayed.

Some others did have it better. But not by much. These people are the ones in court. Or more specifically, direct relations with the king. Like his wife.

Catherine of Aragon was born.

Catherine of Aragon was married to Arthur.

Arthur died.

Catherine of Aragon was imprisoned.

Catherine of Aragon was married to King Henry VIII.

Catherine of Aragon gave birth to Mary.

Henry starts to lose interest.

And this is where the story begins.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i don't know how Catholicism works, so the beginning is probably inaccurate but whatev)

The sun shines through the window, signaling the start of a new day. Catherine squeezes her eyes tightly before slowly opening them. She stretches a bit before kneeling on the floor by the bed to say her morning prayer.

_To the Lord Almighty above, thank you for waking me up to this day. May my actions please you, and the others around me. Give me the wisdom I need to get through today, this week, and forever. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen._

The queen gets up from the floor, proceeding to change out of her nightgown and into normal attire--corset and all. The dress she puts on is gold, with some black accents. She's just started to brush her hair when her most trusted lady in waiting's opens the door.

"Your Majesty. Henry would like to see you in the throne room as soon as possible."

"Alright. Thank you, Jane." The lady in waiting nods and exits to let her queen finish up. Catherine finishes with her hair, puts on slight makeup, then makes her way to meet with her husband.

In the halls, the brunette can't help but wonder why Henry would want to meet with her. He barely talks with her about official business, never about religion. She might be required for another beheading, but something with the way Jane had brought the message told Catherine it wasn't that. _Oh, of course. Another mistress._

The thought of another mistress doesn't faze her composed attitude. Yes, her Glow has yet to occur, and this mistress could steal Henry away, but she's sure of it. Henry is her soulmate. The Glow just needs to come and confirm it.

Catherine is queen after all. Nothing could get better than that.

The queen arrives in the throne room, Henry in the center chair against the wall per usual. She makes her way to the middle of the room and faces her husband.

"You asked to see me, husband?"

"Yes. I am welcoming miss Anne Boleyn back into England from France." _Boleyn? Like one of his other mistresses. Shouldn't be any different then._ "She will be staying in your chambers." Catherine's jaw drops--figuratively of course, she must maintain her dignity.

"I-I'm sorry, Henry, what?" _Perhaps I misheard._

"I said she will be sharing your chambers." _Not even kicking me out to a different chambers. Sharing. _"That's not a problem. _Is it?_ " His tone is almost threatening Catherine to say otherwise. On one hand, she will _not_ like sharing a bed with a mistress. On the other, she wouldn't want to upset her husband and soulmate..

"No. It isn't. I shall have my maids prepare her things."

"There's no need, I've taken care of it myself." The statement shocks the Spaniard. Henry always throws that certain task her way. "Why don't you sit? She should be here soon." The king's wife nods.

"Yes, of course." As if on cue, the couple's daughter runs in almost immediately after her mother sits down. "Hello, Mary. May we help you?" The sentence itself isn't all that uncommon for a queen, what matters is the tone. And the motherly tone gives Mary a sense of love, which she knew her mother did, whereas her father would rather pretend she didn't exist. 

"I saw the pretty lady outside. May I meet her as well mother?" Catherine looks to Henry, who keeps his eyes glued to the door. _He either didn't hear, or just doesn't care._ She makes the decision herself.

"It is alright with me." Catherine brings Mary up into her lap, and all three members of the royal family stare at the door, anticipating the new woman's arrival.

Thomas Cromwell came through the entrance, hands behind his back. Two other courtiers walk in as well, leading the guest into the throne room. The woman has hair as black as midnight, the front of it tied up in two buns, the rest flowing smoothly behind her. Contrasted by her sparkling, emerald green eyes. Her flattering dress is the same shade of green as her eyes, and seems to trace her figure well. And to top it off, slight blush and bright red lipstick.

"Your Highnesses. I present to you, Miss Anne Boleyn." At the announcement, Henry almost immediately gets up from his throne and walks down to greet his guest. Another thing he hadn't done for the other mistresses. The king kisses the woman's hand, which annoys the queen. The new arrival catches her superior's glares, and send her a smirk, as if to call her out for jealousy.

 _Is she...trying to take Henry away from me? I may not truly love him, let's be honest it's very rare for a woman to genuinely love her soulmate these days, but he is_ _my_ _husband. And my soulmate. He may be interested in you now. But he is mine. You will not steal his Glow._

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Boleyn. I'm so glad you've agreed to stay with us in the palace." Catherine doesn't like the way Henry fawns over this new girl. As calmly as she can, she sets her daughter down, takes her hand, and walks over to greet her new roommate. _That thought disgusts me._ Henry, surprisingly, notices his family's presence and introduces them. "Miss Boleyn, this is my daughter Mary, and my wife Catherine." The two greet the black-haired woman accordingly. "You'll be sleeping in Catherine's chambers."

On the outside, Anne is calm and accepts the proposal. On the inside however, she's boiling. _This girl doesn't know when to quit. Just hand him over to me, and everything will be fine._ The green woman thinks to herself.

~ ~ ~

Come night time, Catherine is both exhausted and infuriated. The Boleyn girl had continuously flirted with her husband throughout the day. She had to flirt with her husband as well to make sure he still knows she exists.

Mary had noticed the tension between the two women and had asked her mother about. All that Catherine had told her was that it had to do with her Glow. The bright young girl didn't seem completely satisfied, but she had accepted the answer anyway. 

The queen enters her chambers to find a certain mistress undressing. A heat starts to build in Catherine. Why was this girl going to be sleeping in _her_ chambers? If she could, she'd kick this thing out of the palace. But sadly, if she wants the Glow to happen between her and Henry, she needs Henry to be happy. Meaning the girl stays.

Catherine closes the door, then starts to prepare for bed. She turns her back towards Boleyn as she removes the dress, corset, and such before putting on her nightgown. When she turns around, the other in the room is staring at her.

"And what do _you_ want?" The Spanish ruler's tone is icy, but fails to break the French woman's confidence.

"I don't know what Henry sees in you. He'd be better off with me. I just have to make the Glow happen, and you're long gone."

"Now, now, what makes you think that _you_ are his soulmate? Because, he's clearly mine." Catherine is quick to argue as she wipes the makeup off of her face.

"Oh, I'm _sorry_ I didn't realize the two of you have shared a Glow....oh wait. You haven't. _My bad_." Boleyn's voice is dripping with mockery, feeding her superior's rage even more.

"You know as much as I do that the Glow doesn't always occur right away."

"Yeah, but doesn't _not_ occur."

"You are impossible." Catherine insults as she briskly makes her way to the bed, taking the side that's closest to the window and purposely faces away from the center.

"Not as impossible as you." Boleyn retorts back, positioning herself on the side of the bed closest to the door, facing away from her enemy.

It's safe to assume that the night was full of discomfort. Neither girl could sleep. Only plotting how to trigger their Glow with the king. Mary on the other hand noticed something right away. Perhaps something other than hate. And the young girl is determined to figure out what that something is.


	3. Chapter 3

If anything was going to plan, it's that Henry was clearly interested in her. She didn't come to England all the way to France to get rejected after all. She had had this....vision. And the king was obviously _her_ soulmate. Not little miss wifey, who's barely two feet away from her. In the same bed.

Anne would prefer not to share a bed with the biggest obstacle standing in between her and her soulmate. With the king's reactions to the little antics the Catholic had put up yesterday in competition, it was clear that he also was interested in the person he married. _Oh my god, just make up your mind._

The French woman wakes up to find the queen kneeling in front of the bed. _I mean, look at her. I'm clearly the superior choice._ Anne doesn't realize she's been staring until the other gets up.

"And what are _you_ looking at?" The green is quick to send a smirk towards the gold. 

"Nothing _important_." The Spaniard scoffs and moves to get ready for the day, Anne doing the same. "But if you must know, I was just thinking about how I'm going to convince Henry to marry me."

" _Really?_ Oh, how coincidental! Because _I_ was just thinking about how to get _my_ husband to get rid of you!"

" _Puh-lease!_ He barely recognizes you!"

"At least _I_ didn't insult his favorite courtier!" Before Anne could argue back, there's a knock at the door.

"Your Highness. Miss Boleyn. Henry would like to eat breakfast with the two of you in the dining hall. Right away he says." _He probably only wants to see me. He's only inviting Queenie over here 'cause he's married to her. Ugh._

"Thank you, Jane. And please make sure Mary gets something to eat as well."

"Of course my Queen." Jane closes the door, allowing both of the woman to finish their makeup and hair. Once they do, the two of them make their way to the dining hall, Aragon in front, as Anne hadn't learned her way around the castle just yet.

Upon both of them entering the room, Henry's face lightens up, each woman thinking it's solely from their own presence. Both take a seat next to Henry, across from each other. Each girl tries her best to keep Henry's attention to herself. As they finish their meal, Henry announces some plans for the evening. Plans that favor Anne over Catherine.

"I will be hosting a party in the main room tonight to celebrate Anne's arrival. You both are to attend." The black-haired girl sends a glance the queen's way. _Take that queenie._ Noticing this, Aragon gives Henry a tender look. 

"Of course _my love._ " This almost makes Anne choke on her drink. Henry is _her_ soulmate. And Aragon is a hopeless romantic fawning over the wrong person. The emphasis on 'my love' causes Henry to smile and giver her looks, much to the green woman's dismay. _Two can play at that, bitch._ The newer arrival grabs the king's arm in a flirtatious manner.

"Thank you for doing this, my king. You're so much more fun than the French monarchs I've encountered." This earns Anne a laugh from (presumably) her soulmate--something that ranks higher than little itty bitty looks.

"Oh, Anne, you're too much. Well," The redhead gets up from his seat. "I will leave the two of you to your duties. Anne, feel free to tag along with Catherine or explore the castle. Whichever you'd like." Both women nod and Henry makes his exit, leaving the other two alone.

"Well, would you look at that? My Glow is bound to happen sooner than expected. How _lovely_."

"So one party is thrown for you. That doesn't change the fact that _I_ am Henry's soulmate." Aragon bickers as she too gets up from the table. "Why else do you think that we've been married for so long?" Anne rolls her eyes at this.

"Is that the best you've got? You and I both know that the amount of years you're married doesn't matter. A friend of mine in France was married to this one guy for 15 years before having her Glow with _someone else_. Sound familiar?"

"Well, you haven't proved that he isn't my soulmate. And if you'll excuse me, I have more _important_ things to do. You can go frolic in the flowers." The queen exits the room--opposite of where Henry had exited, and Miss Boleyn is left alone. _Pff. As if._

Anne doesn't, in fact, frolic in the flowers. She wanders around the castle, greeting servants and maids as they walk by. She wasn't a monster after all. Once her Glow appears with Henry, _she'll_ be queen, and _she_ will be in charge of these people. She would like them to have at least _some_ respect for her. Yes, the kingdom wouldn't exactly fawn over the replacement of the queen they've grown to know, but soulmate-ship can't be helped.

Will there be shock? Yes. Will some take Aragon's side? Unfortunately. Will Henry care? About her, yes. About Aragon, no. Once she's gone, he won't give a damn about what happens to her.

The French woman walks down one of the hallways, looking for a door to peer into when the queen exits one of the rooms.

"What are you doing here?"

"Minding my own business. Unlike _someone_." The brunette rolls her eyes and proceeds to walk the opposite direction.

"I don't want you going into any of the rooms. That's an order." She calls out to her inferior, who's rolling her eyes. _As if I'd listen to you queenie_. Anne waits until Aragon is far down the hall before going inside the room she just left.

Anne doesn't expect to come face to face with another human being. A very young one at that.

The child is sitting at a table, some papers and books in front of her. Her curly hair is dark brown, and her eyes are blue but have a tint of gold in them--both similar to her mother's (though her mother doesn't have blue eyes, they both have gold in them). Upon entry the girl's head snaps up, making eye contact with the woman in the doorway.

"Hello Miss Boleyn, may I help you?" The formality of the child shocks the older, although it _is_ Aragon's kid.

"I'm sorry to intrude, I didn't expect to see you here. Mary, was it?" Mary nods. "Do you mind if I sit?"

"Not at all." Anne takes a seat somewhat distant from the girl--she didn't want to frighten her. "Though, I don't think my mother would like that you are talking to me." _Of course she wouldn't._

"Well, since I'm here, I was hoping to get to know you better. I'm thinking of extending my stay if that's alright with you." It is true, Anne's stay will very much be extended. The princess has a moment to herself, thinking, before responding.

"I think I'd like that. You seem very nice." They both share a smile, and Anne can feel her shoulders relax.

"Seeing as we haven't properly met yet, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Anne Boleyn. I was born here, but I grew up in France, so everyone just says I'm French. Um...what else?" She mutters the last bit to herself, earning a small giggle from the queen's daughter. "My favorite color is green, and I love listening to different types of music and spending time in the garden. My favorite flowers are orchids.......yeah."

The green woman notes how attentive Mary was as she talked--interested in what she had to say. Throughout her life, people have only listened to her because they had to or because she forced them to. Mary was listening purely from interest. _This girl's not so bad. Unlike her mother....can't stand Aragon._

"Nice to meet you Miss Boleyn. My name is Mary and I am 11 years old--almost twelve. My mother is Catherine of Aragon and my father is Henry Tudor, the king and queen. When I'm not studying, I like to go out to the garden and draw what I see. I mostly draw the orchids, 'cause they're also my favorite!" They both smile at the common interest. "Other than that, I just like wandering around the castle because it's quiet and I can think." 

"I think we're going to get along very well Mary. When's your birthday?"

"In two weeks. You don't have to get me anything though, it's kind of short notice."

"Nonsense! That's plenty of time for me to come up with something!" Their conversation would have gone longer if not for the approaching footsteps.

"Oh! That's mother! She would get furious if she saw us talking...." Mary looks for another exit, and thankfully the room has multiple doors. "No one should be in that room, go through the door, and then into the hall. Quick!" Not wanting to be caught, Anne quickly leaves the room via the planned out route. And thankfully she gets away without Aragon noticing a thing.

_Well, that worked out well._

~ ~ ~

After wandering around the castle grounds (and bumping into Aragon several times), it's finally time for the party. Or, to get ready for it, that is. Anne walks into her (unfortunately) shared chambers to find Aragon already dressed and adding final touches.

Her dress is long-sleeved with a longer skirt as well, a more lighter tone of gold with white and silver accents on the ends of her sleeves, neckline, and trailing up her skirt. The top half of the dress is fit and trails along her body while the skirt flows smoothly below her. Her hair is done like normal, due to the shortness of it, and it's the first time Anne notices the hints of gold towards the end of her hair. She's wearing some golden eyeshadow, a sort of neutral/pink lipstick, and a simple cross necklace and earrings. _Guess her Glow color is gold. Should've noticed that sooner._

 _She looks flattering. Trying to steal my soulmate are we? Well, it's not going to happen._ Upon her entrance, the two share a challenger's look before Aragon smirks.

"Enjoy your last night here." 

"Thanks, I will especially enjoy seeing the look on your face when my Glow shows." Anne, as usual, is quick to send back a remark. To which the queen only rolls her eyes and struts out of the chamber. As soon as the door is shut, the green woman is quick to prepare herself for the party.

Anne's dress is also a lighter, more paler shade of her normal green, the only accent being the gradient to a darker green from the top to bottom. Like her first dress upon arrival, she chooses a dress that fits tightly around her body, showing off her figure. Rather than keep her hair up in buns, she takes the front half of her hair and braids it so that both sides meet in the back. She puts on some green eyeshadow, uncommon, yes, but makes her all the more mysterious. She also puts on vibrant red lipstick, a black choker with a ruby in the center, and some matching earrings.

Anne winks at her appearance in the mirror and walks down the corridors confident that things will sway her way. Of course, nothing ever goes completely to plan, does it?

When the French woman enters the party, Aragon is on Henry's arm. _Flirting_ with Henry. _Flirting_ with Anne's _soulmate_. Something deemed unacceptable in the mischievous girl's mind. _Oh, you're going to pay for that missy._ Thankfully, the new presence catches the king's eye.

"Anne! I am so glad you found the party alright!" Henry kisses Anne's hand as the latter responds.

"Of course! I wouldn't want to miss one of _King Henry's_ parties." The king laughs at this.

"Oh, Anne! You really are too much." Anne send a polite smile his way. _This is almost too easy._ The announcement of the new woman is made, applause following after. Once things have settled down and everyone is attending to their own things again, Anne makes her move.

Not on the king, of course, but to sabotage the queen. There are definitely multiple paths to get to her ultimate objective, but this had to be the most exciting and entertaining. A simple tripping of the queen should suffice. Anne takes some of the ribbon she stole from Aragon's stuff and ties it to one of the legs of a table, holding the other end of it in her hand. Once the gold woman gets close enough, Anne tightens her grip, raising the ribbon high enough that...

"Oh my goodness! Your Highness are you alright?" The queen had grabbed onto a chair instead of falling to the floor. Regardless, the green woman lets go of her evidence, and walks over to Henry, distracting him from going to check on his wife.

"Henry...I just love hearing all of your success stories, would you mind telling me another? I'm sure you have plenty more to choose from." Anne glances over at the situation and finds Aragon glaring at her, to which she sends a small smirk.

That night was filled with small little hiccups from both rivals. Each one trying to spend more time with Henry and at the same time trying to make the other look bad, and overall trying to initiate their Glow with the king, who both keep thinking is their soulmate. But it's not until later that night a Glow appears. In big events and parties it's extremely common for the universe to reveal a soulmate-ship. In fact, it's been known that if one doesn't appear, that there is supernatural interference--which is, of course, a myth, but one most people believed anyway.

Seeing the initial blinding white blast, everyone squints their eyes but turns towards the light. For both the queen and the mistress, it's right in front of them. As the white fades away, Anne focuses her energy on the slowly appearing colors. The two hues swirl around each other, mimicking two playful spirits. They start to spin around each other faster and faster until both collide and disperse. The room is back to it's normal setting, with the two newfound soulmates staring into each others eyes.

Anne breathes out a sigh. Her Glow color--green--hadn't appeared in the revealing. However, she hadn't seen any gold either, so it hadn't had anything to do with the queen. The French woman quickly looks around for the king, making sure a third party hadn't snatched him away from her. And Henry is across the room. Anne gives out another relieved sigh. _It's not anyone involved. Good. And bad._

Congratulations are passed around, and Henry ends the party about an hour later. No other revealings take place. Both Aragon and Anne shuffle in the shared chambers, quickly preparing themselves for bed and are about to hop into their opposite sides of the bed until a lady-in-waiting knocks on the door.

"Your Highness? The king would like your presence in his chambers."

"Alright. Thank you Jane." _Just my luck._ Aragon was able to spend more time with _Anne's_ soulmate, while the latter was stuck in her own chambers. As Aragon leaves, Anne moves under the covers, furious, but still too tired to do anything about it. She falls asleep almost instantly as her head hits the pillow.

Mary on the other hand sat up in bed, going through the events of the night. From the outside, it was one of her father's better parties. Through Mary's eyes, she saw the competition between her mother and her newfound friend. She saw the way both rivals would immediately move towards the king after their trick was played. She saw the Glow and the revealing. Despite having seen Glows before at previous parties (though, this was only her fourth), the sight always seems to amaze the longing girl. But the most important detail of the night, in her opinion, was that Mary saw the joy that came from both of the adults she was observing when they were tricking each other. The little smirks they sent to each other seemed to have some hidden meaning behind them. And Mary also saw how dejected both of them looked as the colors appeared during the Glowing.

_Just what is happening here?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: implied non-con (but it's really brief and only at the very beginning)

Catherine didn't fully like what happened that night. By that night, of course, she's referring to when Henry asked for her presence. She had gotten used to her Glow not appearing yet after all, but she was not going to lost hope. When she got the message via Jane, Catherine received a slither of confidence for two reasons. On one, Henry wanted to see _her_ and not _Boleyn_. On the other, she got more time with him, and more opportunity for her Glow.

Of course, that's not what happened. Just the regular 'helping'. This time he was a lot more aggressive. There wasn't a build up at all--as soon as she closed the door he pounced. He didn't even ask... That thought hurts Catherine. To know that her soulmate would just take her body as he pleases, without consent. It also hurts to know that other men would abuse her just as much, or more, in the event that she wasn't currently married to Henry.

Then there's the whole Boleyn situation. Catherine still doesn't like that this outsider is sharing a bed with the rightful queen. No matter what that girl said, Catherine was always, and always will be the true queen. Although, she did have to admit. She did quite enjoy messing with Boleyn during the party. Only for her mood to darken once the Glowing happened.

So, as to not put her mind to it, Catherine starts her day like any other. Her morning prayer, getting dressed, the new addition of arguing with Boleyn, then breakfast. It doesn't surprise the queen that the king isn't there with the two, as he always preferred to sleep in. Perhaps not the best thing to do when you're king, but it's not like anyone can stop you.

The gold woman had finished two days of work yesterday. Tiring, yes, but she now has today to spend with her daughter, assuming nothing came up. Which she hopes doesn't happen as today is the girl's birthday. Speaking of which, the mini queen comes running through the door so fast her mother has to stop her.

"Sorry mother. Are you finished yet?" The Spaniard swallows her food before responding.

"Yes, now I am. Are you ready to go?"

"Can Miss Boleyn come with us?" No one expects Mary to suggest such a thing. Truth be told, Mary had been trying her hardest to come up with a plan. Her primary mission of finding the hidden meaning between her mother and the mistress had been getting more difficult with all the arguing the two of them do. So, the easiest solution would to get them to be friends. Well, respect each other first, then perhaps being friends will follow.

Mary can see the reluctance in both of the women's eyes. _Gosh do they hate each other that much? Hopefully, mother can see past that for my sake._

"Please?" There's another moment of silence and thinking before the queen takes a long breath.

"Of course she can come." Catherine says this as if Mary didn't recognize the tension. _I notice a lot of things mother. More than I let on._ "If she's up for it." This statement is directed towards the French woman, who's now swallowing her last bite.

"Of course I will. It _is_ your birthday if I'm correct?" The princess is genuinely surprised that Miss Boleyn remembered something as unimportant as her birthday. As she nods, the green woman bends over in her chair to pick up something. "Great. I can finally give this to you."

Mary takes the wrapped package then starts to open it. Inside is a blank notebook. A singular blue jewel is placed in the center of the cover, a sapphire if Mary remembers her studies correctly. Her eyes light up at the sight. Miss Boleyn remembered their first conversation! Off to the side, the child can feel her mother's....anger? Jealousy? _Is there something more to it? Like, thankfulness or relief?_

"Thank you so much Miss Boleyn! I love it! How'd you know my Glow color is blue?"

"I have my ways. And _please_. Call me Anne. We _are_ friends after all." Mary is glad that she's made another friend, as she likes to keep to herself more often and doesn't have that many. Especially with being the princess, others expect her to act certain ways. Yet, there's always something you can never tell anyone...

"Right. Thank you Anne." The two share a smile. Before the queen starts to feel left out, Mary latches onto her arm. "Can we go now mother?"

"Did you finish your studies earlier like I told you to?" The girl's eyes widen, which causes Anne to giggle quietly. _Whoops._ The monarch sighs. "Come on. You can do it outside." _Yes!_ Mary then runs off to her study to gather her assignments for the day, only to stumble and fall at the large amount.

"Gosh, are you assigned this much everyday?" The smiling child shakes her head.

"No, I like learning. So I ask for extra material." Anne makes an 'O' with her mouth as she bends down to help pick up the fallen items. Mary looks up at the two women she's grown to admire as they both reach for the same book. A classic scene in the fiction novels she's read. They both pull back as their hands brush, only for Catherine to grab it not a moment later. Mary notices the slight blush on their cheeks. _Or is that their makeup? It's hard to tell._

Either way, Mary hopes that forcing them to spend time together will lead them to respect and not hatred. Though, with the way both of them scrambled to pick up as much as they could, that might take a while.

After putting some warmer clothing on, the three women walk down the corridors and into the garden, greeting the several servants that are currently working there. Mary walks over to her favorite table, setting her stuff down and opening her first assignment. Seeing this, the older two silently put the other materials next to her and take a seat. Opposite each other of course. Though the princess is focused on her work, she mentally notes the tension between the two, the silence, and also how they're putting up with the other just to make her happy. _Maybe I can be the final push?_

A while later, everyone's paying attention to the clever girl's French assignment when a certain 'native' speaker breaks the silence.

"You're doing great, but your accents are faced the wrong way."

"I'm sure it's not a big deal." Catherine retorts, causing Mary to fiddle with her fingers--something she always does when nervous. _They're gonna start arguing again..._

"I grew up in France your _highness_." The normally formal title is used with a mocking tone. "It matters." As they go back and forth, the young girl covers her ears, hoping one of them would notice her discomfort. Yet they don't. _This is my final assignment. Just get this done, and you can go do something else._

"I-I don't mean to interrupt, but I can't concentrate with your arguing." At the interruption, the two apologize and quiet themselves down. Only speaking up to help fix mistakes. It's not long before Mary shuts her book, shaking her dominant hand to relax it from all the writing. "Finally!"

"I'm proud of you mi hija. Now let's head inside, it's gotten colder." Each girl picks up a third of the stuff that was brought out and carries it back into Mary's school room.

Because of the cold, the rest of Mary's birthday is spent inside. She'd somehow convinced the queen and the mistress to play some of her games with her. The entire thing makes the almost-teenager very happy. And she also notices how the gold and green girls have loosened up as well, the tension being lost. Their focus is on the game at hand, and Mary could've sworn she saw them smile at one another. Very sincerely.

Mary would consider this one of her most memorable birthdays. Actually, make that her number one, most memorable birthday. She'd never been close to her father, but her favorite birthdays are the ones where he'd actually take notice of her, spend the day with her and Catherine. As if they were a normal, happy family. And now the king is always busy, being short and cross with Mary, if he's not ignoring her. Both parents are growing impatient at the lack of a Glow. The difference is that her father started to seek out others, while her mother is patiently waiting it out.

But today, the 12 year old feels the same happiness she had felt on those better days. Perhaps it's from Miss Anne Boleyn. Her presence is definitely an interesting one. A lot of energy, but can be serious when needed. Not the most proper, but enough to get by when the king is near. Very different from her mother. Strong, regal, very formal, protective, etc. Yet Mary can't help but feel there's something connecting them together. Of course, she's felt it from the start, but it seems to be growing stronger. Unless Mary is daydreaming.

It's towards the end of the day when Catherine leads Mary and Anne to the room with the birthday cake. 12 blue candles are placed in the center of it, the last two currently being lit by Mary's favorite lady in waiting.

"Hello Miss Jane! Are you staying?" The blonde's eyes widen, looking to the queen for permission.

"If you're not busy, Jane. It seems Mary would love to have you here." A sigh is let out before Jane politely agrees.

"If you wish, Mary." The approval causes Mary to run over and hug Jane before remembering the presence of her mother and quickly regaining her composure. She clears her throat.

"Thank you Miss Jane. I really appreciate it." Everyone giggles quietly at Mary's sudden change in behavior, slowly starting to gather around the table.

The three women sing 'Happy Birthday' to the clever princess, while Mary thinks about her birthday wish. _It's always changing isn't it? Well, normally i'd wish for father to notice me more. Sometimes it's for mother's Glow to finally happen. Other times it's for our family to be like everyone else's. But this year...._ When she finally thinks of one, she closes her eyes and blows out the candles. 

"What'd you wish for?"

"Not to be rude Miss Boleyn, but if she tells you, it won't come true." Jane quietly reminds.

"Besides, it's up to God if it _is_ going to come true." A classic response from the Catholic. Not that the others weren't religious, but rather they didn't focus on it as much as the queen did.

"I can tell you. It's the same thing I've been asking Him recently anyways..." Mary mutters, just loud enough that the three would hear. "I just wished that mother and Anne would get along. They don't have to be friends right now, but if they could just respect each other....that'd mean a lot to me." The child says this to no one in particular, but keeps her eyes fixed on Anne, as she is the one who asked in the first place. Jane gives the girl a quick hug.

"That's very sweet Mary. I have to go, but I'll have your things ready like usual, alright?" Mary nods as the lady in waiting exits. "Thank you your Highness, Miss Boleyn." As this interaction is happening, the gold and green women are left staring at each other, dumbfounded. This child really is something else. 

~ ~ ~

When Mary's bedtime comes, she's about to hop into bed when a knock comes from her bedroom door.

"Come in." The door opens and in walks Jane, holding a piece of paper.

"Your mother asked me to hand this to you." _That's strange._ She hadn't expected anything else from her mother since the queen already left her present on her bed the night before. Mary takes the note from Jane before thanking her. "You're quite welcome, Mary. Happy birthday, sweet dreams."

"Thanks again Miss Jane." The blonde nods and exits the room as Mary shuts the door behind her. The princess shuffles under her blue covers before looking at the note. 

_My dearest Mary,_

_I'm sure you understand the pressure that comes with soulmates and the Glow. I have been married to your father for a while and a Glow has not shown. Of course, I don't want to worry you about my soulmate stuff._

_Before you left for the night, I remember you saying "You shouldn't worry about your Glow, because when the time comes, God will make sure you know that that certain person is your soulmate. That's what you told me, right?"_

_I can't believe how clever you've gotten at only 12 years old. But my main point is this._

_Miss Boleyn and I were talking, and we've decided that even though we both think Henry is our soulmate, we can put our differences aside and respect each other as humans. As we should've been doing all long. Mary, I hope you understand that neither of us think we can stop fighting for Henry. But we will try our best to give the other the respect they need._

_I love you always,_

_Mum_

It's a good start. A small step.

But that's all Mary was asking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mi hija--my daughter
> 
> did they have birthday cake back then? idk and idc we're keeping it in here


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: referenced non-con

The days following Mary's birthday have been....interesting to say the least. The two former rivals have ~~tried to~~ put their differences aside and respect each other. The concept is still a bit weird to Catherine. Of course, the entire situation is especially strange.

For one, no one shares a bed with the queen except the king and even that didn't happen often. So to wake up everyday to find another woman in your bed is quite the change of pace. Not only that, that same woman is free to flirt with _Catherine's_ soulmate as she pleases. This outbreak had caused their initial disputes, leading to further arguments, and then what happened at the party. Catherine had also noticed the way Mary watches the two of them. She had taken after her mother when it came to persistence and observation. But what for, the queen has no clue.

Catherine's morning starts the same. Morning prayer, getting ready, Boleyn waking up and getting ready herself. The difference in her (now) morning routine is that no one makes some snarky remark at the other. They get dressed and finish their makeup and hair in silence, the Spaniard actually _waiting_ for the French before making their way to breakfast. 

No one is in a hurry to beat the other, as they've come to a silent compromise. This new respect isn't going to stop them from trying to initiate their Glow with Henry, but it prevents them from humiliating or pestering the other.

"Thank you for waiting, your Highness."

"Of course Miss Boleyn." It's all strict and formal. If Catherine is being honest to herself, it's probably not what Mary was hoping for.

Entering the dining hall, both women are surprised to see Henry already up and dressed for the day. The king looks up from his meal, making eye contact with both Catherine and Boleyn.

"Anne! Catherine! Pleasure. Please, come sit. I'd like to talk with you." _Of course, why else would you be awake?_ The queen thinks to herself as she, along with the mistress, silently make their way to their normal seats at the table. Catherine takes a short moment to silently say grace before eating.

"Your highness, it's a pleasure to be able to eat with you this morning." Boleyn starts, her tone clearly used to try and please the king.

"The pleasure is mine, Anne. In fact, I noticed how you've extended your stay and was thinking. How would you like to stay permanently?" The gold woman purses her lips and clenches her fists at her husband's offer. She's lucky he can be so dense at times.

"Permanently?" Catherine and Boleyn say in unison; the green's tone in surprise, where the gold's tone is in annoyance.

"Yes, you'll be a permanent lady in waiting to Catherine. How would you like that?" Catherine would not like that at all. But, sadly, she is defenseless to the king's orders. At this point, whether or not the girl stays is up to Boleyn herself; and knowing her intentions, the queen has no doubt that she'll accept the offer.

"Of course! Anything if it means I can spend more time here." _That's not so bad..._ "Maybe with a certain someone..." The brunette tries her best to keep her composure at this. She had used that line herself at the beginning of her marriage with Henry, and she almost feels a sense of pity knowing what happened next. Although, he did ask for her consent that time, so she supposes that the green girl will be fine.

"Splendid! I will make sure of it right away. Uh, Catherine?" Feeling glad to be acknowledged, she turns towards the king, humming in response. "Be a dear and get Anne settled in would you? She'll still be staying in your chambers, but I'd like her to get settled in as an official member in court." Although Catherine still does not like the idea of sharing a bed with Boleyn, she smiles and nods, just as she always does.

"Of course. _Anything_ for you my love." Anything. That word can mean a lot coming from your soulmate. The one who treats you the best, gives you the world, love, anything. The one that no matter what, you'll stay together. Anything. Just like anything can happen. Your Glow can happen at anytime, anywhere, however God perceives is best. 

"Then that is that. Don't worry Anne, you won't have as much to do than the others. You're.....special." As much as Catherine wants snap Henry out of it, to smack Anne on top of her head, she holds back.

And once their breakfast is finished, the queen doesn't waste much time in formally introducing Anne to Jane. Yes, Jane isn't the 'head' lady in waiting per se, however Catherine does trust her the most, and the blonde is reminded of that often. Once Henry's order is taken care of she starts walking. Through the empty halls. With no idea where she's going, as she's enveloped in her thoughts.

Once upon a time, Henry had called her special. That _is_ why he went through a lot of trouble to marry her. Because she was special. And after all these years of waiting, their Glow still hadn't appeared. He started calling upon mistresses to fulfill his need. And Catherine did nothing. Because perhaps if she did nothing, he'd see how faithful and committed she is to him. Or maybe he would see that he was wrong. Or maybe he would just ignore her.

And that's exactly what had happened. What he's doing. Ignoring her presence. All she can do is hope. Hope and pray that when their Glow appears, she'll be noticed again. Treasured. Loved.

But all of that is going to Boleyn. Her emotions want to tell her that they'll be fine, that he'll love her once again. But being practical, she won't get her happy ever after. She knows Henry. Knows how bad his tempers get. Knows that he'll get whatever he wants. No matter the cost.

And that's that. Henry would find someway to divorce her, leaving him to marry Boleyn. Catherine doesn't know what would happen to Mary. Her sweet daughter. The girl has a bright future, she can tell. The queen wishes that somehow she'll be able to guide her. If only.

"Your Highness?" Catherine didn't notice that she was now face to face with one of Henry's courtiers. Regaining her composure, she acknowledges their presence.

"Yes? Do you need something?"

"Thomas Cromwell asks for your assistance in some matters."

"Of course. I'll be there shortly." With that, the courtier walks past the queen, as the latter starts walking once more. This time with purpose.

~ ~ ~

It's after her matters are attended to that she decides to head back into her room. She doesn't want the pessimist in her to take over her thoughts. Again.

But she doesn't expect Boleyn to be there. Curled up on the bed. Crying? Catherine doesn't know how to react. Their relationship still isn't the best--just minimal interaction to avoid lashing out at one another. The tension is strong.

"....Anne?" The crying girl jumps at the sudden voice, curling in on herself even more. _I really don't know what to say..._ "I didn't expect to see you here, I thought you were out with Mary."

"Pfff. Like _you_ would care about _my_ life. Don't you have more important things to do?" As the green girl speaks, Catherine recognizes the tone as her own, from back when Henry still payed attention to her. "It's not like you actually _care_ about me." If the Spaniard is being honest, she does. Not in the way you'd think, but she cares about Boleyn in a sort of pity. Pity coming from her past experiences, the ones that showed who Henry really is. She doesn't want to think about it. Because Henry is her soulmate. And if he's not, he's Boleyn's.

"Maybe not." She huffs. But after a moment, Catherine's expression unconsciously softens. "But Henry does tend to take what he wants, despite what anyone says." This grabs the French's attention; how could it not if the queen just read your mind?

"That's one more thing we can agree on." She says with a scoff. "Why are you even talking to me?"

"Well _maybe_ it's because I didn't think he took sex without permission from others as well." Boleyn notes the indirect confession as her eyes widen in shock. "What. You didn't think my life was _easy_ , did you?"

"Wha--I--" The new lady in waiting stutters. "I just....didn't expect it. Any of it, to be honest." Neither woman anticipated life confessions, yet here they were. "At least when I served in France, they had asked me. When I got here, Henry was all over me, practically begging me to sleep with him. And I had told him no because, obviously, he's married to you. Then today, he told me to come to his room a-and h-he" Catherine doesn't realize that she had been slowly approaching the other until she sits on the edge of the bed. "H-he t-t-took off my clothes a-and threw me to onto the b-bed and h-he made me f-fuck him a-and h-he didn't even a-ask i-if I--"

The younger of the two starts crying again as she recalls the events of the day, while the older is reminded of the first time Henry had done that to her. The way she cried throughout all of it. How she stayed hidden in her chambers for days before finally coming out. How she was alone.

And looking at Boleyn's state reminds her of that feeling. That dread. No one to turn to. But this girl does have someone. Catherine just has to make her realize it.

"Boleyn, listen. I'm definitely not the person you want to talk to. But the reality is that I'm the only other in this palace who would even remotely understand. And the only...adult who will willingly listen to your problems." The green-eyed girl chuckles slightly at this, knowing Mary would also willingly listen--it's just a matter of her age, and the seriousness of Boleyn's current troubles.

"Well, I don't know if you noticed, but I've already told you more than I intended to." Catherine smirks. Even when she's in no condition to, Boleyn still manages to make some sarcastic remark.

"And I think you could tell me more. You still look like Henry's about to burst in the door." There's a slight pause, but the queen doesn't push on. But then out of nowhere Boleyn latches on to Catherine's side, shocking the latter.

"You don't mind, do you? I just.......it'd help." The gold woman, still slightly taken aback, just shakes her head. If it was going to help, then Catherine would let it slide. "Thanks." The two sit in that position in silence, and for quite a bit. Still feeling slightly awkward, the black-haired girl starts talking once more. "When he did it--Henry--I just felt....powerless. I didn't really want to go to France, but my father made me. I did enjoy my time there, but the French court was just...harsh. I never really had a say in my life decisions. The only real decision I could make myself was when I started to go for Henry. It's going to sound rather strange, but I had had this dream. I walked into this palace, the throne room to be specific, and then I could see my Glow right in front of me. I couldn't see who the other was, so I assume that it means the king."

Catherine breathed out a sigh. What Boleyn saw was more than a dream, it was a vision. One that foreshadowed who her soulmate was. And it _does_ seem to be the king. Catherine's husband.

"As much as I hate to admit it, it does explain why you've been going after my husband. So, I will forfeit and leave him up to you. Just take care of Mary. She likes you."

"Aw, come on queenie! Don't give up so easily!" The two let go of each other, now looking each other straight in the eye. "What was that one thing you said in one of your meetings? You never know what they're going to throw at you, so be prepared. You made this whole ordeal _fun_. And that's a lot coming from Miss Uptight." The Spaniard rolls her eyes.

"Thanks." She sarcastically retorts. 

"What I'm saying is that I don't know if it's the king for sure. It's the most obvious choice, but you never know until your Glow appears. So until one of us shares a Glow with the king, I don't want you backing down."

"Is that so Boleyn? Then how, pray tell, are you proposing this? I suppose as a rival?" Boleyn shakes her head.

"As Anne. A friend. I hope you are, at least." Catherine only shrugs.

"Sure. I suppose it was going to come to this anyway. Mary's been a bit pushy lately." They both share a laugh at this. Share. Catherine never expected to share so much with this new girl. But, like she has stated before. You never know what someone will throw at you.

And just outside their bedroom, a little nosy child is celebrating. Her two favorite people in the world were now friends. The 12 year old didn't quite understand what they were talking about previously, but whatever it was, it had brought them together. And now Mary's mission should go a lot smoother.

Though, it's still hard to tell.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: referenced non-con + the r-word

Anne still can't believe that she had told her life story to the queen. She can't believe that the queen was now officially her friend. She can't believe that somehow, in their sleep, the two started to snuggle against each other and were now embracing each other.

What Anne remembers is that she was cold, and after a bit of shuffling, she was warm. Actually, she's surprised that she woke up before the queen and is noticing all of this. She knows she should start getting ready, but she doesn't want to wake the older, as her arms are wrapped protectively around her. _Well, actually...._

"I'm not a child, Catherine. You don't have to protect me like I am one." At this remark, the Spaniard starts to stir, slowly waking up and realizing their current situation. Catherine quickly takes her arms back, allowing Anne to slip out of bed, who is laughing at how flustered the other is.

"Well I wouldn't have to if you didn't snuggle into me last night." The gold woman says, quickly regaining her normal composure. "Now be quiet, I'm going to pray."

"Alright."

With that, their mornings were rather normal, that is, without the added tension. Anne felt strangely lighter after having spilled all her feelings last night. She had no idea why she had started talking about what Henry did to her, about her life. What she did say about the queen was true, however. She didn't want Catherine to back down just because of some absurd vision. The brunette brought a challenge--something the French woman liked.

Thankfully, Henry wasn't at breakfast. The green woman doesn't think that she could handle seeing him just hours after being raped by the man. She doesn't see him as she does her tasks (under Jane's supervision). She doesn't see him at lunch. The lady in waiting does see him as she walks past his room. She hides behind the corner and watches as he walks inside. Soon followed by a certain queen.

It's now that Catherine's words last night fully sink in. And Anne can't help but feel sorry for the Spaniard. Not only has she been raped once before, Anne has no doubt that she's about to be right now. And that's not even considering the number of years they've been married. The number of years he could've hurt her...

Anne can't tell why she feels such a connection with this woman. They had been enemies from the start, and have only become friends for less than a day. Yet Anne had been compelled to share her history with the other. She felt like she didn't have a choice, but in a way it didn't feel forced. It wasn't like all those times she had been pushed by her father or other monarchs. It felt...safe.

She never felt completely safe around anyone like that before.

Ultimately, Anne decides to wait for the queen inside her chambers. She takes one of the few books in the room and reads it on their bed. She doesn't take in anything that's happening in the novel however, her mind awaiting the sound of the creaking door.

"Mary, I'm fine. I would just like to spend some time in my chambers. Alright?" Anne's eyes perk up at the familiar voice. From outside the door, she hears the mutters of a young child, and the sounds of footsteps, before finally hearing the scraping of the wooden door. "Anne. Didn't expect to see you here."

"How long has he been doing this to you?" The green woman's face holds no emotion, much like her tone. When a few seconds go by with no reply, Anne repeats herself. "How long has he been fucking you without your permission?" The other takes a sigh, hunching over.

"I don't even remember at this point. I suppose since we've been married." The younger scoffs.

"How? How have you handled years of abuse and not told anyone?" Anne feels anger rising to her face. If Henry is this abusive, and he ends up being Anne's soulmate, then she'd rather spent the rest of her days alone. Not to mention that Catherine is the first and most mistreated victim of his actions. It makes the French woman sick.

"What happens between the king and queen isn't anyone's business. Plus, I didn't want to bother anyone--"

"That doesn't give you an excuse to bottle up your emotions like that! Even when I was in France, I vented to the others there." In the back of her mind, the darker voices in her head want to remind Anne of their annoyance and dismissal. Though, the newest addition to the English court does her best to ignore them. Catherine is who she needs to focus on. "And when I talked to you last night, I felt....safer. I felt like you really understood, and....cared." She glances at the queen, who still standing in front of the bed. "Unless I'm reading it wrong."

"No, no. I did care. Do! I just, don't talk about myself."

"Is that _really_ the best you could come up with? I told you my life story _before_ we officially became friends. Sit."

The gold woman is reluctant, but slowly makes her way to the bed, not rolling back her shoulders to her normal, more confident, position. She takes a seat in front of Anne. Catherine didn't expect to see a different side to the other, much less a strict but caring one.

"Good. Didn't expect the queen to comply to a mere servant." Anne can tell the smirk on Catherine's face is forced. She isn't dense (like _someone_ ). "Start from the beginning, just like I did."

"You _didn't_ start from the beginning, but I suppose it's to make up for keeping my mouth shut all these years?" Anne nods. "You're impossible."

"How can I not be?" Both girls chuckle slightly at this. "Now stop stalling."

"Alright, alright. Okay.....I was still a teenager when I was shipped over from Spain to marry prince Arthur. Henry's brother. Arthur had been...nicer, to say the least. Kinder. But then he died, and because people treat women terribly these days, I was imprisoned. I couldn't contact any of my family members, and I hadn't made any friends yet. No one tried to reach out to me. I just felt...alone.....and unwanted. And then Henry was to be king, and he went through all this trouble to be able to marry me and suddenly I felt wanted again."

"Catherine, breathe." The brunette shakily inhales and exhales, with the black-haired woman's guidance. "Okay. Can you continue?" After a nod, Anne listens intently to Catherine's words. Just like the latter did to her.

"So, I felt wanted. We got married. I was hoping our Glow would happen right then, but like most cases, it didn't. So I waited. I didn't want to lose that feeling after it had been taken away from me. When he first made love to me without permission, I was still new to the palace. Jane and I had started to become closer, but I didn't want to seem weak. I _don't_ want to be weak. I'm the queen after all. I need to maintain that image."

"It's okay for your walls to fall down. If they fall and you give up, that's what makes you weak. If they fall and you get back up, that makes you strong." Catherine's eyes widen in shock. She didn't think this girl was capable of saying anything so wise. "My brother told me that a long time ago. He's still alive, but I haven't seen him in a while."

"That's actually, really smart."

"I'm not an airhead, you know. I read." When the Spaniard smirks, the French can tell that it's real this time. _See? Working already._

"I never said you were. Okay. When it had gotten to about three years of marriage, he started to grow distant. Mary had just been born, and our Glow still hadn't shown up. So, from then until your arrival, he's had three mistresses. And each time, I wouldn't say anything, because I thought that deep down he still cared. That he still wanted me."

Anne remembers the letter her sister wrote to her when she was one of those mistresses. She remembers reading how the king didn't care for his wife. How he only payed attention to her when she made herself seen.

It's all disgusting.

"Clearly that's not the case if he's this ecstatic about you."

"He's just getting his hopes up too high. At this point, I'm not sure I want Henry to be my soulmate."

"You and me both, Anne. But, it's not like we have a choice." There's a moment of somewhat comfortable silence. Silence that doesn't hurt. Silence that's safe. Safe with each other. A feeling that doesn't come often in these times.

"I hope you feel better, Catalina." Catherine's breath hitches. "I'm sorry, did I say something?" Anne starts panicking. She doesn't want to lose this person who actually cares about her. And that's a lot coming from a friend of one day.

"It's just...my mother used to call me that. Could you not call me that? For right now, at least." The green woman nods quickly, glad her little slip up didn't completely destroy their new friendship. "And to answer your question, yes. Surprisingly, I do feel better. Is it just me, or does it feel....safe..here?"

"No, it's quite strange. It feels comfortable. Is this true friendship?"

"Perhaps it is, Anne Boleyn. Perhaps it is."

~ ~ ~

Mary feels really bad that she's spying on both her mother and Miss Boleyn so much. But curiosity is what drives her. And what happened today fuels her to do more research on Glows.

Something about what the two had said triggered something in her mind. Comfort. Friendship. _Safety_. It just feels like something is missing. Mary has this feeling that they all add up to the Glow. A common topic, she noticed, between Catherine and Anne. She also sensed some type of reluctance whenever they mentioned her father.

"Ah. Here it is. Your soulmate is the one who will treat you the best. Make you feel loved, wanted, seen, etc. It is possible that these feelings may occur even before your Glowing. The most common pre-Glow feeling is the sensation of feeling comfortable and safe with this specific person....."

Now that didn't make sense. Nowhere does it say that two people of the same gender could be soulmates. Though, it doesn't say that is _couldn't_ happen. This makes Mary a bit relieved. That is, before she's reminded of the world she lives in. Men couldn't be with men. Women couldn't be with women.

But why should one be punished for who they love? And why should one be punished if their soulmate was of the same sex? None of it makes sense. But now, Mary's mission is complete. She figured the two out. Well, she had a pretty solid theory.

Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn are soulmates.


	7. Chapter 7

The friendship that is shared between the two women isn't one like most. This one involved a lot of teasing, light bickering, slight rivalry. An enemy/friend if you will.

And with the newfound information about Catherine and Anne, Mary had found a new mission: Get these two together. Mary had made relationships happen, but little animals are completely different than humans. Not to mention the two women she ships were former adversaries. Just her luck.

But little does he know, her father is actually helpful. Unknowingly, of course, but helpful nonetheless.

Today is one of the very, _very_ , few times she eats with her parents. It's nice. To feel like everything's fine and dandy. To feel like a normal family. And Anne being here as well makes Mary feel even better. Throughout the meal, the princess doesn't spare a glance at her father unless addressed. Her eyes zone in on either her lunch, or who she presumes are the two soulmates. The child takes in the soft looks and glances they give each other; it's strange to think that it's been a month since they've become good friends.

Mary also notices the way they interact with the king. It's slightly annoying, if she's being honest, to see them both continuing to flirt with the redhead, despite losing interest. It's also annoying, and confusing, to see how oblivious the two are, how they haven't figured out the true meaning of their relationship.

With Mary being the way she is, she'd rather not tell them straight up (though would anything be straight in this situation?). It wouldn't be natural, and it'd probably be best for them to find out themselves. Of course, since the soulmates are completely unaware, she'll have to push them toward it. 

Which is easier than she thinks.

"Mary." It's the third time that her father addresses her. Mary awaits to be scolded on posture or manners or something of the sort, but it doesn't come. With a straight (how ironic) back and a neutral face, she turns and makes genuine eye contact for the first time in years. "You still have that blue dress I gave you, right?"

"Of course, father."

"Good. I'd like you to wear that one to the party tonight." Despite being cold and dismissive towards her, the 12 year old still receives gifts every once in a while--each one being cherished greatly as they remind her that the king still remembers she exists.

"Yes, father."

After lunch, Mary spends the day following Anne, as her mother has a meeting the child can't attend. About a week after becoming an official member of court, Jane trusted Anne enough to let her do her tasks by herself. 

The young girl watches the woman as she moves about the room, cleaning various items. If Mary is going to play matchmaker, she'll have to find out where each girl stands.

"Hey Anne?" The French girl doesn't stop working, but happily replies to the girl.

"Yes?"

"What do you think of mother?" At this question the older girl stops, turning to face the younger.

"How so?"

"What do you think of her? I was just wondering, since your relationship with her is very different from when you first arrived." Anne isn't prepared to hear the question, but thinks about it nonetheless. She hadn't thought about it before if she was being honest.

"Well, although we've had our disputes in the past, I've grown quite fond of her." The green woman turns to the brunette to find an expecting countenance upon her face. And in seeing that her first answer isn't enough, Anne continues. "I admire a lot of things about her. Her confidence, strength, her beauty. How she's such a natural leader and mother. And how even though she seems unapproachable, she's actually really kind and gentle. I actually envy her in some ways." At Mary's soft giggling, she adds on. "But don't tell her I said that. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Of course." The princess assures, trying to calm her laughter. Many gears are turning in her clever mind, trying to gauge where Anne's stance in on a scale of 'complete and utter enemies' to 'absolutely head over heels'. "Thanks Anne!"

"No problem. I have to finish up here, but you should start getting ready." Mary glances at the clock, and yes, the party is starting soon. _Has it really been that long?_ "I'll see you later."

"Right. See you!" With that Mary makes her way to her room.

After some searching, she finds the very dress given to her by her father. The king. After putting it, and some accessories, on, she quickly asks Jane to help her with her hair. After that some lipstick, as she is only 12, but either way, she doesn't like the feel of makeup. Her preparation complete, she takes one final look at herself in the mirror.

The dress is a pale blue, the skirt going to about halfway between her knees and ankles. Compared to the dresses her mother and her friend have been wearing, Mary's dress is a lot more loose fitting, allowing more freedom of movement. Her hair is done up in a simple bun, held by a darker blue ribbon. Her lipstick is somewhat of a neutral tone, and around her neck is a gold chain, with a blue gem at the end of it.

"You look great Mary."

"Thank you Miss Jane. Are you coming to the party as well?" Mary would love to spend some time with her favorite lady in waiting. _Wait, would that include Anne? I'm still not used to that, I suppose._

"I'm afraid not, darling. I have other things to attend to. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I should get going now, but I'll see you later!" As Mary says this, both girls start to walk out of the bedroom.

"Yes, I'll see you too."

Mary walks through the corridors, wondering how this particular party will play out. Will Catherine and Anne pull tricks on one another again? Will their Glow appear? If not, how are they going to react? Will they be friendly towards each other, or stone cold as enemies?

So many questions that can only be answered through time. And speaking of which...

The young girl walks into the already busy room and immediately makes her way to her mother. It's the type of party where all the guests are adults. Usually, there's at least one other child in the room, most of the time one of Mary's friends. And when there isn't, the princess follows the queen around the entire time.

And unfortunately for her, the get-together is uneventful.

The two women she spends hours watching don't pay attention to each other at all. If interacting at all, it's painfully civil. Each woman doesn't try to pull tricks on the other, and go up to flirt with her father whenever the other wasn't. They were...waiting it out. And when a Glowing inevitably occurred (multiple, in fact), neither one shows a sign of remorse or pain, staying completely neutral.

If _anything_ interesting happens tonight, it's that the king _asks_ for Mary's presence. She stays by the _redhead's_ side the entire time, not the queen's. She wants to wonder why her father is paying so much attention to her all of a sudden, but the child has priorities.

It's an intriguing turn of events. And when the party is over, and Mary is prepared and settled in bed, she runs through them again. The princess can't figure out what caused this sudden avoidance. Of course, it could just be for the image in front of the king, but she doesn't want to believe that.

There's something else.

~ ~ ~

Very rarely does Catherine get drunk. Very rarely does she drink at all. Which of course, is the opposite compared to Anne, who does drink at parties, but only getting drunk once. So when both get drunk at the same party, something is bound to happen.

But nothing does.

Both women can hide their drunken state fairly well for the remainder of the party. However, upon looking at the other, each woman's eyes traces the curves that are shown very selectively by the dress they were wearing. They trail the other's hips, chest, lips...

In order to not make a complete fool of themselves, or do anything that might get them beheaded, they shun the other out. And when Henry ends the party, both try their best to calmly walk over to their shared chambers. Though at this point, the two women are much more drunk than they've gotten before.

Neither of them remember who walked in first, but the events did happen. The first walked in and removed their makeup. Then as the second walked in, the first traced the second's curves once more, a certain heat building up in their stomach.

The second made their way into the room, wiping of their own makeup. At this point, the first was standing next to the edge of the bed, watching the other's every move. When the second finished, she slowly wobbled over to the first, neither one bothering to hide their drunken state.

Their eyes met, and one stared at the other, finding pupils filled with lust. Neither could remember who leaned in first, but suddenly one pair of lips crashed against another.

The heats coating both of their bodies became unbearable, sly hands fiddling with the other's dress, and two bodies crashed onto the bed; their lips only breaking when air was absolutely needed.

And that night two women pressed into the bed, one entangled in the other's limbs.


	8. Chapter 8

Catherine knows she was drunk last night. That's all she remembers when she wakes up with tired limbs and a splitting headache.

She slowly opens her eyes and sees that she, once again, was facing Anne. The queen deliberately turns away, quietly enough that Anne won't wake up, and is about to roll out of bed when she realizes what she's wearing. Or more, what she's not.

The brunette calmly but quickly turns back around to look at the sleeping Anne, to find that she isn't wearing clothes either. _No, no, no, this couldn't have happened. I couldn't have....._ Unfortunately for her, the green woman starts to stir awake as well.

Anne too, wakes up with tired limbs and a pounding headache. Groaning, she sits up in her spot, greeting the other as she does.

"Ugh. Morning queenie." Looking towards the Spaniard, the French notes the panicked expression oner her face. _Strange. Catherine's never panicked like this._ It's now that Anne fully takes in the situation they're in. Catherine making an attempt to cover her otherwise naked body with the covers, and her own naked body only half covered by the sheets she sat up in. Certain marks cover both of their necks.

The lady in waiting opens her mouth to say something, but no words are released. The uncertainty of both causes a very awkward and uncomfortable silence. Anne doesn't want to be in this situation any longer, and so she jumps out of bed, quickly finding her clothes for the day and putting them on. When she looks back, she's relieved to see that Catherine is wearing clothes.

Neither of them speak as they finish preparing themselves, Anne silently waiting as Catherine she had her morning prayer. Both make their way to the dining hall and eat their breakfast without a word. The two leave for their respective duties without a goodbye. Their entire routine is thrown off after last night.

And that's something Catherine does not like.

Being the sneaky spy she is, Mary sees the tension between her favorite people as she peers in from the doorway. Thankfully, today is the princess's break day from studies, so she has the entire day to investigate.

She starts with Anne.

The raven-haired proceeds with her daily tasks, but her mind keeps replaying the prior events. Waking up naked, seeing _Catherine_ was naked, realizing _both_ of them were naked in the _same bed_. Perhaps if she hadn't gotten so drunk she could've prevented it from happening. But, Catherine did look.....no. What was she thinking? She couldn't have wanted it. She couldn't have liked it. She couldn't like _Catherine_. The queen. The beautiful queen....

"Anne?" The voice of a child startles the French woman. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I thought you knew I was here. Are you alright?" Anne turns around and gives Mary a reassuring smile.

"No worries. I'm....alright. Not fully great to be honest." The young girl stares at the older with concern, Anne admiring her sweetness.

"Do you want to talk about it? I'll listen. And I won't tell mother if you don't want me to." The green woman contemplates her options as the two make their way to the couch. On one hand, she doesn't want to worry the twelve year old, but on another, she'd really like to talk to someone, and Mary is willing to listen.

"Are you sure you're alright with it? And that you won't tell Catherine?" With the mini queen's nod, Anne sighs and starts to confess. "I hope you didn't notice, but I had gotten really drunk last night, and so I don't remember much. But I remember wobbling into the chambers, some stuff happened, and then my whole body felt...hot? I remember crashing onto the bed, and that's really all I remember of last night."

The girl with a mission has some thoughts to herself as she's being told this. So _it's last night's events that caused the tension. If they were both drunk, I probably won't get much of an answer out of them. But perhaps I can piece some things together_.

"Is that it?"

".....I wish it was. I'm going to trust that you're mature enough to hear this next part." Anne adds, though she knows that the clever girl can handle the information. "When I woke up this morning, Catherine looked....scared. And then after a few seconds I realized....that neither of us were wearing clothes. Mary, I do hope this doesn't make thing strange between us!"

 _Okay, so they don't remember what happened last night, but when they woke up, they were both naked.....oh. Oh. Oh. Well then. At least we're closer to our end goal! Hehe....that is quite the conclusion. And strangely enough, the right one_.

"No no, it doesn't change anything! Well, between us."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Mary. Catherine is a great person, I admire her so much. We've only been friends for a month, and I'm scared of losing her! We're set back to square one."

_Right. So I'm certain both of them have come to this conclusion that they've....yeah. And if Anne is scared of losing mother, I'm sure mother feels the same way about Anne. They shouldn't be avoiding each other like this then. Judging from the way they describe one another...._

"Anne, do you like mother?" The green woman is confused for a good moment before asking for clarification.

"What ever do you mean? Of course I like Catherine!"

"I mean.....do you see her in......that way?" This question causes Anne to go deeper into her thoughts. Surely, Mary is asking if she like Catherine romantically. But does she? Yes, she finds both men and women attractive, a secret she must keep to herself if she wants to stay alive, but what was her stance on the queen? "If you're having trouble, try describing Catherine. And maybe listen carefully to what you're saying."

"Really? Okay." _Describe Catherine, huh?_ "Well, I've described her to you before, but I guess I'll do it again." _Where to start?_ "First off, she's a strong, confident, leader type of person. On the outside, she seems strict and honestly kinda mean, but if you get to know her, she's just doing her job, and she cares so much and is really kind to a lot of people. She gives off a little formal smile to most people, but when she smiles for real, it feels so warm like the sun, and it's the most adorable thing ever. And don't even get me started on how beautiful she is, like her brown hair that's surprisingly really soft, and her golden eyes that have some sort of sparkle to them and......."

 _Oh. Oh no._ Anne's eyes widen as she realizes how easily it was to describe her friend. And she wasn't even done. _No no no no no. Little crushes are one thing. This....is a lot more than that._

"Mary, I'm in love with your mother."

"Oh, I know." Anne turns to Mary in shock, jaw open. "You two seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact, it was starting to get annoying." _Are we that obvious? Does anyone else know? Does Henry know? Wait, no, he's too dense, he wouldn't notice. _

"Hold on, no one else knows right?" The young girl shakes her head. "You cannot tell your mother this." Another shake of her head.

"I won't, because you should tell her yourself. I'm telling you, the two of you are into each other and--"

"Mary, I don't mean to interrupt, but there is no way that Catherine likes me back." Mary gives the older woman a skeptical look, causing Anne to further prove her argument. "We started out hating each other's guts, and we've only been friends for a month! She's the rightful queen, and I'm the suck up who strolled on in and ruined everything!"

"That's not true! Mother hadn't opened up to anyone before you. Not even Miss Jane. She always bottled up her feelings, and then you opened them!"

"How do yo know about that?"

"Not important. But what is important is that you talk to Catherine." Anne is about to reply when one of the other lady in waiting's asks for Mary. After nodding, the child turns to Anne once more. "I'll see you later. Just, think about it?" With that, the clever girl leaves Anne by herself in the room.

_No. Catherine couldn't possibly like me back._

~ ~ ~

Mary isn't invited for lunch today, so she eats alone, writing various things in her journal (an older one, not the one she was gifted for her birthday). Mary's plan for the rest of the day is to get answers from her mother as well, right after lunch. But she is expecting to go find her mother, not for Catherine to come to her.

"Mary, if you're finished, I'd like to speak with you." With this, the child quickly finishes the last of her food before going up to the queen. "Let's talk in your room." The mother and daughter walk to the chambers quite slowly. But once they arrive, the two take a seat on the bed, Catherine with a somber look upon her face.

"Is something wrong, mother?" Mary recognizes Catherine's habits, this one being the same expression she has when she's about to admit something.

"Mary, your mother's committed a sin. A very big one, in fact. And I'm sure that I will be punished by God, but I ask for your forgiveness. Though, I don't blame you if you don't wish to forgive me."

"Mum...."

"Mary, I've done a terrible thing; I'm just going to put it bluntly, daughter. Last night, Anne and I were drunk, and we had sex. I don't remember, actually, but I'm sure of it. When I woke up this morning, we were both naked. I'm terribly sorry mi hija. I have not excuse for committing such a sin and--"

"Mum!" The sudden change in Mary's voice startles Catherine. "I already know what happened--I was talking to Anne earlier and she told me. Well, indirectly, but still. I'm not mad." The Spaniard lets out a sigh of relief, quietly thanking the young girl. "But, I want to make sure. Is this why the two of you are acting so strange?"

"I.....yes. As much as I don't want to admit it, Anne has really made some things better. I'm grateful that she has been brought into my life, and that we've become friends. I hope that this won't change anything, but the reality is that it will."

 _Just as I thought._ The princess thinks to herself. _They're both scared of losing the other. And this is why they're soulmates._

"Mum, do you like Anne?" With a tilt of the gold woman's head, the twelve year old elaborates. "As in, more than friends?"

"Why would you propose such a thing?" Despite keeping a neutral face, Mary notes the blush creeping onto her mother's cheeks. And as much as she tries to fight it, Mary can't stop a smirk from forming on her face. "Anne and I are just friends."

"If that's true, then describe her. Then I can determine it for myself." As her daughter says this, Catherine is reminded of herself at Mary's age. _How the time flies._ The older of the two is skeptical at the proposal, but proceeds nonetheless.

"Well, okay. Anne, is....an interesting case to say the least. I'd consider her a pretty talkative person. She always has all this energy inside of her, and because we have to keep our cool in front of Henry, she has to release it all in conversation, or behind closed doors. She's a bit mischievous, but also knows when to be serious. She has this sort of contagious happiness, because I'm telling you, whenever she's around I feel like smiling. And I'm sure it's no secret that she's absolutely beautiful, with her shiny black hair, and her eyes....there's something truly mesmerizing about them and...."

 _This cannot be happening._ Catherine's eyes widen at the realization, just like Anne had. _I can't be....queer. It's a sin. I can't...._

"Mother?"

"Mary, I'm sorry. Your mother is a monster." The deadpan face upon Catherine's face scares the young girl. The way she speaks without emotion, without hope, it's something Mary isn't used to.

"No mother! You're not! You can't be a monster just because you love Anne." The Spaniard is unconvinced. Catholicism is what she grew up with, and Catholicism says that queer people will burn in hell. Mary, on the other hand, is trying to think of what to say, without spoiling her theory. "......Mother, I've had these thoughts about other girls as well."

The queen is even more shocked than she was originally. Not only her, but her own daughter was queer as well! What had they done to deserve such a fate?

"Were we destined to be punished, Mary?"

"But if our God is love, then would he punish us for who we love? Surely, loving another woman doesn't violate His most important commandment. 'Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.'"

"Matthew 22:37-38." The two recite, having memorized the verse long ago. Catherine tries her best to hold back the water droplets she feels forming in her eyes. 

"Since when did you become so wise and grown up?" They both share a smile.

"I get that from you, Mum." The mother embraces her daughter in a heart-filled hug, so, so thankful of her understanding. "But I still think you should tell Anne. Or at least talk to her about what happened."

"I'm not so sure, darling."

"Aw, come on! Not you too!"

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Catherine isn't sure what to think of anything that had happened recently, but she knows one thing.

_Anne does not like me back._


	9. Chapter 9

One week. One week since the party. One week since Catherine and Anne had gone to bed together. One week since they've realized their feelings for one another. One week since they've decided not to confess to the other. Correction. One week and counting.

Both parties have been admitting and ranting about their own panic to the twelve year old. Whilst Mary sits, listens, and ultimately rolls her eyes at how utterly and painfully oblivious the two are. She never liked those kinds of people, the only exception being her dense father. She didn't need him butting in with her plan.

The two women did talk about the events following the party, and they're on good terms as friends. Friends with a very certain awkwardness that is usually only found in novels.

Mary finds it all extremely tiresome. As much as she assures them that the other likes them, neither of them have made an attempt at confessing. Or showing _any_ signs of interest at all. She's very tempted to lock them in their chambers until they concede. However the young girl doesn't have access to the castle keys, and keeping the queen and the lady in waiting inside for days would certainly grab the attention of the king (the two still spent a lot of time together in the room without confessing, so it would take a while).

If the king found out, they'd certainly be punished. The amount of hate towards queer people hurts the princess, especially with being one herself. And if her theory is correct, it can't be helped if the two are soulmates. Your soulmate is determined by the universe, by God; it is not your fault if they say your soulmate is one of the same sex.

So why do people hate those who are queer? Or those with same sex soulmates? That question is one that Mary will never understand. Humans wish for peace, yet cause conflicts with those who are different from themselves. Mary can only hope that the future will treat others with respect.

However, that is getting a bit off topic.

Mary seriously needs a set plan to get her ship together. The logical solution is to wait it out, but both parties are too blind to see the other's feelings. Some of her favorite books tell her that some solutions include "accidentally" bumping one of them into the other, like a domino effect; casting a spell, though she didn't believe in witchcraft; or trapping them in a locked room, which again, would ultimately fail and result in her getting grounded.

But there is one solution that could work. The only problem is that she'd have to wait for some supplies to arrive. But perhaps......perhaps it will work.

~ ~ ~

Five days. Five painful days of waiting and tolerating the women's rants. Five days since she initiated her official plan. And it is today that her.....materials, arrive.

Yes, she had to wake up before anyone else to make sure no one else saw, but it'll be worth it. She can feel it.

She attaches the notes to the presents, hides them under her bed, then lays back down to try and get a little more sleep before starting the day. The girl falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow.

It's after breakfast that she comes to a conversation with her mother. Nothing new, really. The only new thing that makes this conversation significant is the mention of a certain male ruler.

"...At this point, I shouldn't even be trying. Actually, I shouldn't have been trying to begin with. I'm married. To Henry. And--"

"Mother, why are you still focused on father?" Catherine is surprised. Normally, the child just sits and listens as she talks; she didn't expect her to politely interrupt. 

"Well Mary, he's my husband, and God knows I'm probably going to end up with him--if not, Anne."

"But do you _actually_ love him? Is there anything you _truly_ like about him?" The queen has to hand it to the princess, she really did know how to make her think.

"When you put it like that....." _There really isn't anything. The main reason I had stayed was because I longed to feel wanted again. And currently, I don't feel that with Henry..._

"But you feel it with Anne." The Spaniard pinches her nose at the realization that she had been thinking out loud. A habit that mostly occurred when she was stressed. "Another reason why you should go confess already."

"And _that_ is where I'm going to be your mother and tell you to go do your studies for the day."

"Don't expect me to be available for a rant session later!" Mary calls out as Catherine gets up and leaves the room, the latter rolling her eyes in the process.

The sly spy lays out her books and assignments for the day, then sneaks out the other door to the other room. The entire situation with Anne had somehow given Mary the knowledge of the castle grounds. In other words, she knew exactly how to navigate to her rest stops without being seen. Plus, Mary had memorized both of their schedules long ago, upping her chances of pulling this off successfully.

When she reaches her room, she reaches under her bed, pulling out the two gifts. She can't believe how easy it was to get them, if she's being honest. The gift chosen for Anne is a rose gold choker with a small green gem in the center of it, plus matching earrings; Catherine's gift is similar, a gold necklace with a medium sized golden gemstone, again with matching earrings. For a final touch, Mary adds in some flowers she had somehow snuck into the castle--orchids for Anne, and roses for Catherine.

The investigator maneuvers her way through the corridors without being seen once more, leaving the designated presents+notes inside the rooms. Anne was the only one assigned a certain room, and the other room was their chambers, Mary knowing that her mother would be the first one back. 

Once she gets back to her study room, she sits down at her desk, letting out a sigh. Her plan was in process. Now all that's left to do is wait more, and hopefully everything would turn out dandy.

But little does she know that while she was creeping around the castle, the green and gold women were having a very......flustered interaction. They had bumped into each other before, but it was how they did that made them blubbering messes.

See, Anne had forgotten about a certain task she was supposed to do, and was running to the room complete it before anyone saw. It was as she was turning the corner that Catherine had so coincidentally walked out of Mary's study room and closed the door. Anne, panicking slightly, didn't see the other woman as she continued to speed through the halls.

Of course, this led to Anne quite literally knocking over her friend. The two let out a little yelp as they topple over.

As they land, Anne feels her lips touching something....soft. She lifts herself up to see what she had landed on, and of course, she just had to fall so perfectly that she'd be kissing Catherine. Both women can feel a blush creeping on both of their faces.

"Ahh! Sorry!" As Anne pushes up, her eyes trail to where her hands were. _Aw come on!_ "Agh! I'm so so sorry! I didn't mean to I mean I wasn't trying anything!" Anne takes her hands off of Catherine's chest, standing up in the process and helping the other up. "I swear, I wasn't trying anything I just didn't see you there--"

"I-it's alright, Anne." The brunette assures, though mostly just trying to calm herself down. She has an image, after all. "Just watch where you're going. Don't want anyone else getting hurt."

"Hey! Don't you _care_ about me?" The French woman teases, knowing she'll either get a heart-filled answer, or a flustered. She's not picky though, both are absolutely adorable.

"Of course I do, you little gremlin!" Anne giggles, blushing more at the little nickname she had been given by her ~~crush~~ very dear friend. "Now run along! Don't want to be scolded, do we?"

"Not unless it's you." Two pairs of eyes widen at what the lady in waiting blurted out. Before Catherine can reply, Anne immediately (and splutteringly) apologizes. "IuhI'msorryI'mjustgonnagosoImean'causeIgottagodomystuffandI'msureyourbusytodaynotthatyou'renotbusyotherdaysI'mjustgonnagoumyeahsoyeahBYE!" She calls out as she continues running toward her task, leaving Catherine ~~checking her out~~ staring at her, stunned.

The queen then makes her way to her chambers. No one required her presence, and there weren't any matters to attend to that involved her. What she was hoping to do was take a nap to clear all thoughts of Anne. She wasn't expecting a gift to be sitting on her bed.

Approaching her mattress, she takes more notice of what it is.....and the note that sits beside it.

_My dearest Catherine,_

_I have something I'd like to talk to you about. Well, first off, the jewelry and flowers are yours (roses are your favorite right? Hope I got that right). It's just a little gift. The purpose depends on how you'll react to what I'm going to tell you..._

_Just meet me in the garden right away._

_Truly yours,_

_Anne <3_

The Spaniard doesn't understand exactly why Anne would gift her something, _and_ send her a note. Furthermore, the note doesn't exactly sound like something Anne would write.

But if she wants to meet, then it couldn't hurt.....right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hopes that everyone reading this won't hate me for posting late*


	10. Chapter 10

As Anne waits in the garden, she reads the note one more time.

_My lovely Anne,_

_Please accept these gifts. If I remember correctly, orchids are your favorite right? You're probably wondering why you've received them, but I'd actually like to talk to you about something first._

_Meet me in the garden right away._

_Yours forever,_

_Catherine <3_

Anne had briskly made her way to the garden after reading the note. It didn't exactly sound like her ~~crush~~ friend, but at least she now had an excuse for not completing her daily tasks. Meaning someone else would have to do it. The thought of it makes Anne smirk for just a second before it fades away at a different chain of thoughts.

Why _does_ Catherine want to meet with her? It couldn't be for anything political, as neither of them bring up the topic of politics in their conversations. Perhaps she wanted her opinion on something? But the thought of independent Catherine asking for help doesn't seem all too likely. So..... _Oh. Oh. Of course. It always comes back to this, doesn't it?!_

Anne is slightly annoyed at herself for her train of thought. Unless it was an absolute emergency, the only logical solution would be that Catherine somehow found out about her crush, and was coming to confront her about it.

Realizing this, the green woman starts fiddling with her hands, and the note that she decided to bring with her. You know, as proof. Not that anyone would come out here at this time, the gardens are always attended to earlier in the day. _Catherine must know this too... She probably hates me now! No wonder she wanted some privacy._

"Oh...um. Hey Anne." The sound of another's voice causes the lady in waiting to jump, before she turns and sees it's the queen. ~~_And beautiful as ever_~~. "I'm sorry, did I scare you?"

"No no, you're fine. I just wasn't in my right mind I suppose." Catherine hums in response. There's a long, awkward silence. One that's too long for both women. "So, you asked to see me?" At this question, the Spaniard gives a confused look towards the French.

"......No, _you_ asked _me_." Anne mirrors Catherine's expression, both of them perplexed at the situation. "...You left this in our chambers." The brunette holds out the note she had brought out with her, the black-haired woman inspecting it.

"I-I.....didn't? You left this in the room I was assigned." They each copy the other's previous action as Catherine inspects Anne's note. Another period of silence follows, neither knowing how to react. 

The two inspect their note a little further, reading the words over again. Trying to find some sort of hidden message. Some clue to who sent the gifts. Or why.

It's after a minute or so that Catherine notices the handwriting. The familiarity of the crossed t's and dotted i's ultimately labels the culprit. A certain loop that Catherine had seen so many times before.

"Oh." Anne perks up as the other speaks. The older of the two, moves the note so she can point out her discovery to the younger. "Mary crosses her t's and dots her i's like that."

"Ahh." The amount of discomfort between the women starts to eat at them. They've never been this uneasy with one another since they've become friends. And even before that, the uneasiness came from their rivalry, not......whatever this was. All they want is for it to go away. Perhaps by suppressing their feelings, or their crush reciprocating them--though the latter is highly unlikely.

"Though, I can't figure out why she would want us to meet like this..." Catherine silently and quickly asks God for forgiveness. Truth is, she had determined that her daughter is attempting to set the two up. The young twelve year old often joked about forcing them to confess, but the gold woman never thought that she'd follow through. Though, Mary _is_ her daughter.

"Really? Didn't expect to hear that from such a 'wise' queen." This little tease earns the green woman an elbow to the side. Something that happens quite a bit between the two friends. Though, of course, when you fall in love with your friend, you tend to overthink a lot of your actions. At least, that's how it is with this duo.

"Well then, I don't suppose her reason has to do with _you_ does it?"

"Well, if you'd count your daughter repeatedly teasing me about my crush a reason, then yeah, you could say that." If there's one thing Catherine isn't, it's dense. The only reason the queen stays silent is because Anne had a crush.

_So, Anne has a crush.... And if Mary's been teasing her about it.... And it ultimately lead up to this.... Then that means Anne's crush is.... Me? Anne likes me? But....why??? I thought I gave off such an...unapproachable impression. Yes, we've become friends, but.... Why would she like me?_

It's in this silence, that the green woman starts to internally panic.

_Oh god, why'd I let myself say that? I could've just lied. She wouldn't have known. But noooooo! My mouth just had to confess! Well, technically I didn't say the words 'I have a crush on you' but I mean Catherine is really smart she probably figured it out. That's why she's not saying anything. Oh my god, she hates me, doesn't she? Ahhh! _

"Anne?" Catherine cautiously asks, still unsure of how to approach the situation, and still trying to grasp the facts. "This crush doesn't happen to be.......me......does it?" _Okay Anne, you can still save your friendship. Just say that it isn't._ Anne attempts to reassure herself.

".......Maybe?" But ultimately fails, as she ends up confessing anyway, not making eye contact with the other. 

"Wait but....why?" The younger of the two is slightly offended at this question. There are countless things about the older that made her so attractive.

"You can't be serious." Anne makes sure that their eyes are locked as she starts to talk. "First off, you're quite literally the most beautiful being I've ever seen. And you're also really intelligent, and confident, and strong, everyone sees that. But then very few people see that you're really soft and honestly kind of protective, but I'm really glad I'm one of those people who get to see that side of you. Your smile is one of the most special things I've seen, and I really could go on, there's so much I admire about you."

If Anne hadn't confessed before, this certainly seals the disclosure. She starts to fiddle with her hands once more, worried for Catherine's reaction.

"You really see all that?"

"Of course I do! Not that you'd see any of it in me..." The lady in waiting starts to curl into herself, eyes trailing down to her shoes.

"Anne, I would never see my personality in you, because you are your own person. You're a naturally friendly and talkative person. Well, when you're not complete enemies with someone that is." Anne giggles at this little comment before continuing to listen intently, eyes locked on the other. "You have this sort of contagious happiness that radiates off of you. If you don't understand, what I'm trying to say is that when you're around I feel a bit warmer inside and my mood lightens from what it was before. And then on top of that, you're absolutely gorgeous."

"......How do you....see all of that?"

"Because God knows I like you back, Anne." The French woman blinks twice in shock. Catherine actually liked Anne back. In a burst of relief, the black-haired woman walks closer to the brunette, their faces getting closer......and embraces the other woman in a tight hug, which is gladly returned.

"So, what happens now?" Anne questions as they pull away, gazing into her friend's amber-gold eyes.

"As much as I want to be with you.....I cannot. I'm married to the king, and I'm sure we both know what would happen if I had an affair. Much less with another woman."

"We'll be careful. _Please_. It all feels different with you. No one will know." Suddenly one of the chairs squeak, revealing the presence of a certain blushing spy who had set everything up. "Well, no one except Mary, I suppose." The child puts her hands behind her back, twisting her ankle nervously. "But back to us. Please Catalina?" The gold woman tilts her head as the green quickly slaps her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. It just slipped out."

"Anne, it's fine. As my little secret lover, you have been granted that privilege." As the younger's eyes light up, the older feels a blush creeping onto her cheeks at how adorable her new lover is.

"UGH FINALLY!!" The shout comes from a certain twelve year old who had been paying very close attention to everything that's happened. "I'm sorry. The two of you were very oblivious, and you wouldn't listen to me so...."

"Thank you, mi hija." At the praise, Mary proudly smiles. That is, until her mother continues. "But as much as I appreciate you doing this for us, you cannot see your friends for three days. Understand?"

".....Yes mother." Mary reluctantly agrees to the punishment, causing quiet giggles to escape from the new couple.

_A couple. We really are a couple aren't we?_


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pretend this is historically accurate for me please? (by accurate i'm talking about the roof and whereabouts and whatnot)

Although her mother would beg to differ, Mary believes that the two aren't official until they've gone on their first date. As commoners, this would've been slightly easier. As a queen and a lady in waiting who are both _very_ close to the desperate king, the task is much harder.

And so after Mary had finished her morning studies, she spends the remaining hours before lunch roaming the castle. Going through every single one of her passageways to find the perfect spot. The girl isn't naive, she knows how long this would take. And how long her mother's date would most likely take. This spot has to be perfect. 

It can't be anywhere outside castle grounds. Though, either way, the princess isn't allowed outside the palace without accompaniment, and she'd never think of breaking that rule. It could be one of the rooms only Anne was assigned to, though if she spent too much time in there, it'd get awfully suspicious. No one wanted the date to take place in their chambers. The two already spend the nights there, and various servants come to clean the room as well. 

That's when Mary spots an opening. She'd passed through this particular passageway multiple times, but whenever she did, there were guards at the entrance. She quickly looks around for any sign of replacement guardians. Nothing. Being the small, quiet spy she is, Mary sneaks through the door to come face with a set of stairs.

Clearly there was no other way to enter, and the doorway was the only thing being guarded. Mary swiftly makes her way up the stairs as softly as possible, to come face to face with a view of the kingdom. Well, not exactly the entire kingdom, but the view of the town-center, the plaza, the forest, all of it just splendid.

Private if timed correctly, beautiful view, classically on the rooftop.

This was it.

~ ~ ~

Mary had spent a good deal of the next few days figuring out the schedule of that doorway. Around ten the guards would leave, presumably for a lunch break, then came back at twelve exactly. Not a second late. Though, they could probably see down the hall, so about 3 minutes before should suffice. Their next break was from 6-8, which would be a bit too long to be stuck on the rooftop, so the 1 hour and 57 minutes would have to do.

Almost no one went through this hallway except the guards, a group of ladies in waiting, almost always at 3 or within the hour, and some courtiers at 5. Their date would be in the morning, so this wouldn't be an issue. Plus, Mary would keep watch in case something happened. Well, Mary and Jane.

She hadn't expected Jane to show up behind her, nor had she expected Jane to have known everything. Absolutely everything.

"You haven't told anyone?"

"Of course. It's not my place, and it surely doesn't bother me. The two go quite well together, don't you think?"

"Yes, thank you Miss Jane."

"No worries. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

Catherine and Anne are still a bit embarrassed to talk to the twelve year old about everything, let alone allow her to set up the date. Their embarrassment only grew when Mary had told them about Jane, who also had helped set up the date. Though, they had to admit, the child is very good at planning. A trait shared with her mother, Anne always notes. 

The actual activities, however, were left up to the couple, as Mary isn't one to intrude. Though, her previous actions could say otherwise, she likes to think she's one to abstain.

A simple lunch would do. There isn't much that the lovers could do in secret after all.

Anne is one to worry. She had been pacing in the hall for quite a bit, anxious for the events to come. Jane, who Mary had asked to comfort the green woman, had been giving her words of encouragement.

"Anne, breathe." The French woman inhales very shakily, holding it for a few seconds before releasing her breath. "Everything's going to be fine."

"But Jane, what if I mess something up and she changes her mind about me? We can't go back to being friends again, we'd be back to square one!" Unsurprisingly, the younger of the couple starts to spiral once more. "Jane, I'm going to screw this up!"

"Anne, I'm sure her majesty knows how you can get and will understand if you slip up a little. She's married to the king and still wants to go through this with you. I'm sure everything is going to be fine." There's somewhat of a calming essence about Jane. Not the same as Catherine, nothing could compare to her, but perhaps it's just the way the blonde was.

"......Okay."

Catherine isn't one to break down into a panic. Though, clearly Anne is otherwise proof that she does. Inside their chambers, the gold woman is pacing the floor as well, her daughter being the one attempting to calm her down.

"Mum, I've never seen you this worked up before." Upon hearing this, the Spaniard reminds herself to breath; eventually she's calm enough to stop pacing and sit next to her daughter.

"I just....don't want anything to go wrong. I don't want Anne to stop liking me, I don't want Henry to find out, I don't want to be left alone. I don't want a lot of things. But I mostly don't want to lose her." Since the two became friends, Mary has noticed her mother is more open about her emotions. Another thing that the twelve year old is grateful for. And another reason why she ships Baragon. Bolagon? Aleyn? The name she'll have to come up with later.

"First off, mother, the two of you were friends before confessing, I doubt Anne will ever stop liking you. Second, he won't find out because we're going to be very sneaky and Miss Jane and I will make sure nothing happens during your date. Third, you won't be alone because Anne isn't going to leave you. Plus, you have me." Both of them giggle slightly at this comment. "You won't lose Anne because she loves you just as much as you love her."

"You act so grown up."

"Only because you act like a child sometimes..." Mary mutters to herself, only to be heard by her mother and receive a very judgmental look. "Sorry...." Catherine takes a deep breath before embracing her only child in a comforting hug.

"Thank you." The queen kisses the princess's crown before walking out the door to meet her date. Mary is dazed for a bit before quickly following. _This should be interesting_.

The four of them make their way to the entrance, unguarded just as Mary had predicted. Mary and Jane lean against the wall as Catherine and Anne head into the doorway, neither of them knowing what to expect. The youngest of them hadn't told the couple what was inside, simply explaining that it existed. The green and gold women cautiously walk up the staircase.

The two are blinded by the sunlight for a few seconds before their eyes adjust. Both are absolutely shocked that the castle had access to the roof.

"It's....beautiful." The Spaniard breathes out.

"Not as beautiful as you." The French replies with a wink, earning her a playful shove.

"Oh hush, you."

As they set up their early lunch, their nervousness subsides. They end up talking about anything and everything, just like before. The only difference this time is the little side compliments or subtle flirting they end up making. Somehow the conversation turns to a small contest to see who was the more wild child. Much to Anne's surprise (and dismay) Catherine ends up winning this.

The laughter and conversing eventually dies down, however, leaving the two in silence. Though, it's a much more comfortable silence. A safe feeling. Where they wouldn't be judged, or ridiculed, or even beheaded. Anne had scooted her way toward Catherine, snuggling up into her side as the older wraps her arm around the younger. It's impossible to tell how the two haven't come to the same conclusion the young girl has.

Nevertheless, silence must be broken eventually.

"Catalina?" The brunette hums in response, having gotten used to the nickname coming from Anne's mouth. "Thank you." Catherine turns to make eye contact with her lover. 

"For what?"

"For agreeing to this. To all of it. I really appreciate it." A real smile escapes and forms on the gold woman's mouth.

"Of course." There's only a short beat of nothing before the two women meet each other halfway, cheeks red from blushing. Their lips are just as soft as they imagined, pushing just the right amount that it's not so much desperate as it is passion. Neither of them want to stop, but at the tugging of their lungs, begging for oxygen, they let go, gazing into their lover's eyes.

The world can wait.

But it's a good thing that Mary and Jane were watching the door. If not, the king would surely have them beheaded on the spot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry the date wasn't detailed. i've never been on one :/ and also i didn't think it would fit that well? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ welp ok hope u enjoyed


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Divorced? Beheaded.

It's been about one month and a half since Catherine and Anne have officially become lovers. One and a half months of sneaking around, trying to get some privacy. It's become a weekly thing to spend time on the roof. Usually just the two of them, sometimes either Mary or Jane would join them.

To be frank, no one really payed attention to Henry. There was still some interaction with the man, meals, "bedroom visits", etc. The two despise every second of it. Both of them regret the day Henry receives his Glow with one of them.

Each woman wishes that they aren't his soulmate. Wishes that the other isn't his soulmate. That he never meets his soulmate to spare any other women who might fall subject to his actions.

Today is one of those off days where the redhead is actually awake before lunch for once. Actually, he's awake before breakfast, which is very out of character for the man. Jane had so carefully woken the cuddling couple from their slumber to deliver the king's message.

"Terribly sorry you two. But the king requests both of you right away." At this the women sit up, leaning against the headboard as they rub their eyes open. "I wouldn't waste any time, it seems urgent." Jane final word is what gives Catherine a jolt of energy.

"Of course. Thank you Jane." The blonde nods and makes her exit, the queen getting out of bed to say her morning prayer as she does. This prayer is faster than usual, the lady in waiting notes as she tiredly stretches in place. "Anne, love, let's go."

"Gimme a second queenie, I'm tired." Rolling her eyes, Catherine quickly rounds the bed and gives Anne a short kiss. Too short for the younger's liking as she tries to reconnect their lips.

"As much as I want to stay with you, Henry wants us for something important, so we have to go now." A whine escapes the green woman's mouth at this. "Come on, let's go." Anne is pulled out of bed; as she stands up, she makes sure she gets a proper kiss from her lover before turning to her clothes.

The two quickly prepare themselves for the day and start briskly walking down the halls to the throne room. It's mostly silent, if not for the quick footsteps of the women. Anne has some trouble keeping up with Catherine's pace.

Knowing what Catherine had went through, and the number of years she's been married to the king, and the amount of time she's been mistreated by said king, Anne doesn't question her worry. 

When Catherine enters Henry's face is somewhat neutral. When Anne enters his eyes light up a ~~lot~~ bit too much for the lady in waiting's liking. The secret couple move in front of Henry, bowing respectively.

"Perfect. I have an announcement for the two of you." The Spaniard nods, quickly followed by the French. "It took me a very long time, but with the creation of the Church of England, I am finally able to divorce Catherine." Though the king doesn't pay attention, Catherine flinches a bit at this announcement. "It is...very much impossible to have children with her, and it's clear to me that we will simply not share a Glow." The queen(?) is about to argue back, to say anything, when the other steps forward.

"Your Highness, if you don't mind me asking, if you are to divorce Catherine, who will be queen?" Anne is careful to watch her tone, not sounding excited, but rather inquisitive, a hint of sadness if payed attention to.

"Why, you will, my lovely Anne." Two pairs of eyes widen at this proclamation. "You and I are to be officially married once the divorce is in place. As for you, Catherine." At the sound of her name, she turns to her husband(?). "I will give you until the end of the day before you are sent to the abbey--"

"This is absurd!" Anne winces at the volume of her lover's voice. "I am your wife! I have done nothing to cause you trouble and you think you can just throw me away like this?! And what about Mary?! Our daughter! Surely you cannot take me away from her! I refuse to believe this!"

"SILENCE! Enough is enough! You are no longer my wife, and you will leave this palace by the end of the day! Now get out of my sight!" Catherine exits with a huff; Anne politely bows and gives thanks to the king before quickly following the gold woman.

When she loses sight of her lover, Anne proceeds to their chambers, a series of thoughts circling her mind. 

_I'm going to be queen. This is what I wanted, wasn't it? No. That's what father wanted. What I wanted? I wanted to find someone who cared about me. Genuinely. I thought that would be Henry but I was wrong. I have Mary, and Jane, I hope, and Catherine. My love. Sweet Catherine. What's going to happen to her? The last thing I want is for her to be hurt. And the yelling. I didn't like the yelling. And Mary. I'm so glad Mary likes me if he's going to follow through. I really don't want him to. I just want everything to stay as is. Me. And Catalina._

_Together._

Anne opens the door to find Catherine putting her things away in bags, her arms shaking.

"Lina?"

"You got what you wanted didn't you?" The brunette's voice is thick, and doesn't stop what she's doing as she replies. "You wanted Henry, and now you've got him. Did you ever think of what would happen to the rest of us when you thought of it?! Did you? And now. I'm just like I was before. Unwanted."

"Lina that's not true!!" As far as Anne can remember, she hasn't raised her voice that loud before, shocking herself just as much as Catherine. "I'm sorry for yelling. But...what I really wanted was someone who truly cared about me. Before, I thought that would come through Henry, but now it comes through you. And _I_ want _you_." As the younger of the two sits on the edge of the bed, she holds her arms out; the older practically collapses into the hug.

"I'm sorry. I-I....." The green woman stokes the golden's hair. "I just don't want to lose everyone. To lose _you_." They sit in silence for a bit before it's broken by the more extroverted woman.

"Lina, do you remember that one vision I told you about?"

"Yes."

"I wish it meant you. I wish it meant you were my soulmate." Catherine wipes away her tears as she kisses the one she loves so dearly.

"Me too, love." A warm sensation fills both of their chests. _That's strange. What is that?_ They think to themselves before being blinded by a bright light.

When each one opens their eyes, their entire surroundings are white. They're standing face to face with the woman they've grown to love very much, though from a much larger distance then they remember being. A sort of colored light slowly forms around each woman in their respective colors. Slowly the light starts trailing toward the center, almost like a snake. When the two colors meet, there's another flash.

When their eyes focus again, the two colors can be seen twisting around each other, then separating; as if to mimic two playful souls dancing around each other. Green and gold. Gold and green. The sight is significantly marvelous. Unlike any other thing they've seen. Unlike any other _Glow_ they've seen.

_That's what's happening isn't it? This is what a Glow looks like from the inside. And that means...._

The colors start to spin around each other faster and faster before finally dispersing in a final flash.

Once they come back to their senses, they're back in their original positions. Sitting across their lover on the edge of the bed, hands connected. Both of them are breathing heavily as they stare into the other's eyes.

"Forget the divorce." The sudden voice of a man surprises the soulmates as they turn to make eye contact. The man's eyes are filled with confusion and spite, but mostly rage. A lot of rage. "GUARDS!" Four other men storm into the room, two holding each woman and dragging them away from each other. Shaking his head in disbelief, the man continues his orders. "THESE TWO ARE SINNERS! MONSTERS! HAVE THEM BEHEADED! I WANT THEM BEHEADED TODAY!" At the command the guards start to lug the women out of the bedroom, Catherine and Anne trying their best to break free. "LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE! WHAT THEY ARE! Filthy beasts." The final insult is muttered to himself, but clearly made loud enough so his new prisoners would hear.

Mary just happens to be walking in the very hallway that held her mother's chambers. She just happens to see all the guards gathered outside the door. She sees Anne and Catherine being taken away.

"NO STOP WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" At the sound of her child's voice, Catherine tries harder to break free, to see her only daughter. To see her one last time. "STOP IT! LET THEM GO! THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG!" Mary tries to run towards them, only to be held back by the other guards in the hallway. The man makes eyes contact with the child.

"And make sure this one doesn't leave her room until they're dead." Mary fights back as hard as she can as she's towed and thrown into her room, the door being locked from the outside. Never, has the princess felt so helpless. So useless. So _worried_. The only thing she knows she can do is pray. So that's what she does.

_Father God, I know there isn't much I can do to save them. I only ask that you let them into your kingdom. If you are truly a God of love, then surely you will not punish them for their love for each other. For their Glow._

~ ~ ~

The hours they spend in separate cells feel like days. Neither of them speak. Their minds are all too focused on what happens next.

When the guards come for them, neither fight back. They know there's nothing they can do about it. They live in a world where queerness is looked down upon. Where it's punished. Where _love_ is punished. It's all very depressing.

As they walk down the halls for the last time, they can't help but sneak glances at each other. They had officially become soulmates for less than a day. And they're about to die.

When their heads are placed on the blocks, they can no longer hear the cheering of the crowd. They keep their heads down.

"I love you." Anne Boleyn whispers.

"I love you too." Catherine of Aragon whispers back.

_God Almighty, I have held on to what Mary told me earlier this year. If you are a God of love, and you know who everyone belongs with, then I ask you let us into your kingdom. And if our love really is a sin,_

Anne keeps her eyes open. Catherine shuts them.

The axes come swinging down.

_then give us a second chance._


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm gonna be honest i feel very weird that elizabeth never ended up existing.....

A second chance. That's the last thing Catherine remembers wanting. A chance to prove she hadn't done anything wrong. A chance to prove she deserved to live. A chance to live _with Anne_. Her lover. The one who had changed her life. Who had her head chopped off as well.

 _Her soulmate_.

The thought of Anne being her soulmate still shocks the Spaniard. She only wishes they could've spent more time together.

* * *

Catherine's eyes blink open. Wasn't she just getting beheaded? Where was she? Confused, the gold woman takes a look around.

The clothes she's wearing a significantly different than what she remembers wearing. Her top is a yellow sweater, paired with a scarf that's slightly a slightly darker shade than her shirt, and black pants that wrap around her legs tightly. Pants, of all things.

She's sitting in a slightly smaller bed than her own, covered in golden sheets and pillows. In fact, most of the decor in the entire bedroom was a shade of her Glow color, having some black accents here and there. In terms of furniture itself, it's not much different from her chambers--dresser, mirror, closet, etc. The design and shape of everything is a lot different, however. 

The room also has what Catherine can describe as a window seat, with two pillows set off to the side. A string of small lights hangs from the walls. Catherine can't help but notice the room is lit up by something other than candles. The idea that something other than fire could create light is something that shocks the Spaniard. Just exactly where was she that this is possible?

She figures she should probably see what's outside the room if she really was....well, she still isn't quite sure if she's dead or alive quite yet.

Exiting the room, she sees there are five other doors like hers. _Could there be others here? Perhaps they know what's going on. Though, it'd probably be best to let them come out on their own_. She shuts the door, and sees that it's labeled with her name. _Catherine of Aragon_.

Actually, each door has a name on the front of it. _Catherine Parr. Katherine Howard. Anna of Cleves. Jane Seymour_. Seeing the blonde's name gives Catherine a sense of relief, but also pain. Why, she doesn't know, but it doesn't hurt as much as seeing her lover's name. _Anne Boleyn_.

Before she can go too deep into her thoughts, another door opens. This woman is wearing a baggy, blue, long sleeved shirt with a pocket in the front and a hood attached to the back of the neck line, plus the same black pants that Catherine is wearing. Her eyes are colored like sapphires, and her curly brown hair is significant enough that Catherine can identify her as her own goddaughter.

The next door to open is the one labelled Anna of Cleves. Her skin is darker and her black hair is a lot shorter than she's used to seeing, but it doesn't bother her at all. She just looks a bit different, that's all. She's wearing a bright red shirt with short sleeves and just barely covers her stomach. Her white bottoms are a bit strange, as they look like pants, but the end of them barely goes down her legs. The amount of skin that's showing on all of them is a bit uncomfortable.

After her, a young girl who can't be over 20 enters the hallway. Katherine Howard. The bottom half of her otherwise dark brown hair seems to be a bright pink, which confuses Catherine for a second. Though, everything about this situation is quite puzzling. The young girl is the only one wearing a (significantly short) skirt, a black one, but under it she's wearing pants similar to the other two Catherines, though hers is more see through. Her top looks like a bright pink dress shirt.

Shortly after, Jane joins the rest of them. She's wearing a gray sweater, but it seems to cover up most of her neck as well, as well as a black skirt that goes down to her knees. Other than that, nothing much has changed about Catherine's most trusted lady in waiting.

This is when Anne Boleyn opens her door and walks out. _She's just as beautiful as I remember_. Her black hair is done up like she always does, half of her hair done up in two buns, the rest falling smoothly. Her makeup is done like usual, complimenting her ever so sparkling emerald eyes so well. Rather than the dresses she wore before, Anne is wearing a green short sleeved shirt, the same bottoms as Anna, only black, plus a belt weaved into the waistband. It all makes Anne look so alluring. All Catherine wants to do is wrap the younger girl in her arms and hold her, but her fear stops her.

What if she doesn't remember her? What if her feelings had gone away? Does she remember their shared Glow? That they're soulmates?

"...Hello." The blue Catherine is the first one to speak up, the other five women slowly saying their greetings after. "...Does anyone know what's going on?"

"I think I see something downstairs. Perhaps we should go take a look?" Jane is the one who suggests this, followed by various agreements from the others. Slowly making their way down the steps, they start to look around.

To their left is a sofa with a smaller table in front of it, and a rather large....something hanging from the wall. To their right is a kitchen and a table which can be inferred to be the dining table. It's pretty spacious, but still smaller than what Catherine is used to, having grown up in palaces and such. As the gold woman looks around, she makes eye contact with her lover. The two stare at each other for a few seconds, expressions unreadable, before Anne turns away.

"Hey guys, there's a note." Anna calls out to everyone. Once everyone is hovered around the table they all read the note left out for them.

_To the six of you,_

_You're probably wondering why none of you are dead. I mean, that's the last thing you guys remember anyway. But however I put it it's gonna be a lot to take in, so let me just throw it out there._

_The six of you have been reincarnated. YAY! Good for you! Chances like this don't come often you know. But I recommend not thinking about it too much. And if you're wondering why.... Each of you have been married to the king, Henry VIII for a period of time throughout his life._

_It is not my place to go into specifics, but I highly recommend you all talk about it and share your stories together. It'll help you all understand each other and (hopefully) get along better._

_Until you can all get jobs, I have given you something called a credit card, that you can use to pay for food, clothes, rent, etc. It'll take some getting used to, and that's going to take a long time, but I'm sure you can all handle living in the 21st century._

_On the back of this paper are some names and some numbers. If you type the sequence of numbers that I've listed under the names into a phone (don't worry, I've labelled these things) you'll be able to talk to them. I'm sure you'll recognize the names ;)_

_Best of luck to you all,_

_The Helper._

Well, it _was_ a lot of information to take in, but the queens silently thank 'The Helper' for telling them straightforward. Though, Anne is slightly confused at the wording. She hadn't been married to the king. She was beheaded before it happened officially. It is then that the first two 'queens' notice an envelope with their names on it.

When Anne gestures for Catherine to pick it up, she opens it, the former moving to her side to read over her shoulder.

_Hey Catherine (of Aragon) and Anne!_

_The two of you are a special case...._

_See, after Henry had the two of you beheaded, he told all of his courtiers to cover everything up. So in his records (and eventually the history books of today) it says that he divorced Catherine to marry Anne. Not long after he had Anne beheaded because he claimed she was cheating on him. Which, let's be honest, in your case it's kind of true.... BUT ENOUGH OF THAT!_

_Although this is what most people believe, some historians found some documents that claim the two of you were soulmates, and that both of you were beheaded because of it (an example of this would be a certain 12 year old's diary....)._

_I_ _'m sure the two of you don't want to mention your Glow right away, so on the back I put in some information on what the history books say. Though keep in mind, history books got stuff wrong about ALL the queens, so don't follow the story too well. But you should still tell them the truth eventually. I'm only allowing lying for the two of you because I'm nice and your story is the only one that got changed so much._

_Your welcome :3_

_The Helper_

This second note doesn't help their case too much. But the task of altering their story a little bit doesn't seem too hard to do. Even so, they don't want to say too much that it contradicts whatever the others know of them. If anything, they most likely person to call them out is Jane, though neither of them remember the blonde being anywhere near them when it was announced.

"Well, I hope I'm not the only one extremely confused." This comment comes from the red queen, which causes a couple of giggles.

"But since 'The Helper' or whoever that is, suggests we talk about our stories, I think we should do it. They clearly know more about this than we do." Though Catherine would prefer not telling her story, especially since it had been changed, she can't help her leadership instincts tugging at her. The rest of the queens agree with the proclamation, including Anne, though the Spaniard wonders what her past lover is _really_ thinking.

And whether she still loves her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURVEY!
> 
> do you want to read the conversation where they tell their stories, or do you think it's irrelevant and you want me to move on? PLS TELL ME I NEED TO KNOW!
> 
> thx! <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pretend the ages+age gaps are correct

Still slightly confused and overwhelmed by the current events, each queen (with the exception of Anne) makes their way to the couches on the opposite side of the house. They sit in a somewhat random order, but all Anne can think about is how the most distance is put in between her and Catherine. 

How she misses Catherine. _Her_ Catherine. Not Henry's. And they had died for loving each other. For being _soulmates_. People disgust her sometimes.

"Should we go in order then?" The question comes from the blue queen. Anne, being the last one to exit her room, hadn't been able to see all the labels on the doors, so currently she recognizes Catalina, Jane, and vaguely remembers seeing the pink queen from somewhere. Perhaps as a younger child.

Anne notices the slight tension in Catherine's posture. She also notices the scarf that so strategically covers up her neck. When she had first woken up, the first thing she'd done was check herself in the mirror. A long scar was wrapped around her neck; she knows it's from her beheading. Looking around the group of women, she only notices one other with a scar like hers, the youngest of the group.

The green 'queen' wonders what the child had done to earn such a fate. But her questions will be answered in time.

"Yes, I suppose it makes sense." Recognizes the voice, she turns to the one she loves dearly. "In that case, let me introduce myself. My name is Catherine of Aragon, I'm 26, and if you couldn't tell, my Glow is gold." 

There's a small debate whether each person should share the same information, the conclusion ending in yes. As the side conversation comes to a close, Catherine continues her 'story'.

"To put it simply, I was shipped from Spain to marry Henry's brother, Arthur, but when he died, I was imprisoned until Henry himself became king. Henry and I were married and I hadn't caused any trouble for him whatsoever. Anne came back to England and long story short, he chose her over me. Went through a lot of trouble to divorce me, claiming we couldn't have children, even though we had a 12 year old daughter, and claimed that he was tired of waiting for our Glow."

Luckily for the first queen, she doesn't have to say much as the others have surely heard the story before. Or this version of the story, at least. She was the most respected queen, after all. The only responses the gold queen gets are some nods, before they start to look around for the second.

"I'll take that silence that she's finished, so it's my turn now." Anne keeps her naturally upbeat personality up, to hide the fact that she's about to lie about a lot of things ~~, and to hide her yearning for her lover~~. "Heyo, I'm Anne Boleyn, 23 years old, and my Glow is green."

"Oh Anne! We played together before you moved to France!" This comes from a suddenly excited pink queen, as childhood memories start to stir in Anne's mind.

"Oh right! We're cousins right?" A nod comes from the younger cousin. "I'm really excited about that, but we're all doing introductions so moving on! I was born in England but grew up in France 'cause I was sent to study there. When I came back to England, I was invited to stay in court. In Cat..therine's chambers to be exact." Anne quickly changes how she addresses the first queen. She doesn't want to hurt her feelings if she doesn't like her anymore. "Henry divorced her, married me, nothing really different from what she said. At some point he got tired of me and told everyone I was cheating on him, so yeah, I got beheaded."

Unconsciously, the pink, green, and gold queens bring their hands up to their necks. For Boleyn and Howard, their scars were clear and apparent. For Aragon, it looked like she was fixing her scarf, which she was, but only to hide the tension of _her own_ beheading that no one could know about.

There's another awkward silence of glances and side-looks before the third queen speaks up.

"Oh, sorry, I suppose I'm next. Um, my name is Jane Seymour, I'm 25 years old, and my Glow color is silver. I was actually a lady in waiting for Catherine....of Aragon." The silver queen adds, knowing there are multiple Catherines in the room. "And I saw how he treated both of the queens before me. But, when he first approached me, I thought he had actually changed. He seemed nicer, he treated me somewhat better than Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. In other words, I actually thought I loved him. After we got married, I finally gave him the son he wanted, and he was so....happy. I was celebrated for the few days that I was alive after giving birth. When he saw I was dying, he turned his back on me. Simply saying 'she didn't last long enough for a Glow.' and moved on. I died of childbed fever after."

The silence that follows isn't from waiting for the next person, but from a moment of honor, in a way. The last three queens clearly remember her portrait still hanging on the walls after she had died. Other than that, the other five queens just feel sorry for the girl who had been mislead. 

"Ok. I'm not going to waste anytime then. Hi, I'm Anna of Cleves. I am 23 and my Glow color is red. I lived in Germany all my life. Henry had seen my portrait in the Haus of Holbein and ordered for me to be shipped to England. We weren't married for long until he found out my Glow is red. He didn't want to be married to anyone with the same Glow color as him, so he told everyone that I was simply too ugly to be with, and divorced me. We were pretty cool with each other afterwards, but you know, everyone hates his guts."

Small laughter arises from the fourth queen's final comment. However, the lightened mood dies, as one by one the queens notice the uncomfortable shifting of the pink queen.

"Are you alright darling?" Jane asks, her voice having a tender type of mood to it.

"Yes. I just don't like to talk about......anyway. Hello! I'm Katherine Howard! But, I guess you can call me Kat so we don't get confused. I'm 19, and my Glow is pink." The fifth queen notices the small glances towards her neck, but tries her best to ignore it. They're probably just concerned, anyway. "Before Henry....I um....let's just say.....that I never really had a childhood. Not childhood. I had that. I um....didn't have normal teenage years? Screw it, I was sexually assaulted twice. The first when I was 13, the second around 15. I became a lady in waiting to Anna, actually, then around the time he was getting his divorce all settled in, he started to notice me. At this point, I had given up on my Glow and just decided to go along with everything he said. After we were married, I already expected to be sexually assaulted again, so it didn't hurt as much. But anyway, one day, I was walking around the halls, when I had my Glow. Completely out of the blue. Someone saw it, and told Henry that I was cheating on him. Then I got beheaded."

The queens can't begin to imagine all the pain this child, well, 19 year old, had gone through in her past life. And then to be beheaded after finding her soulmate? Catherine and Anne do their best to now show any flinching. She had been through the same thing they had. Though, her plate had already been a lot more full than theirs.

"I guess that just leaves me... Hello, my name is Catherine Parr. I suppose you can call me Cathy. I'm 22, and my Glow is blue. I had been married twice before Henry, though, both of them died before anything else really happened. When I started working in court officially, Henry saw me and made me his wife. Though, the entire situation had been a bit awkward for me as I had had my Glow prior to the marriage. Though, you can't really say no to the king." Kat notices how the sixth queen leaves out what happened to her soulmate. _Does she remember?_ "We stayed married until he died. Not much to say about what happened afterward." 

**Congratulations! You all are just that much closer! YAY!**

"..I-I'm not the only one who heard that...right?"

**Oh don't worry, you're not crazy. It's me! The Helper! Or, that's my code name, hehe. I'm so glad you guys are all getting along well, and that you've gotten all this heavy story stuff out of the way! If you don't feel comfortable using the phones yet, or you just need help with things, just ask! Of course, you can only talk to me inside the house. We gotta have _some_ constraints now don't we?**

"Uhh...."

**Guys, I know it's all a lot to take in, but try not to think about specifics too much. It'll only hurt your brains. I can only respond to one of you at a time, so if I don't respond, I'm talking to someone else. Another reason why you might want to get used to using the phones... But anyway! Welcome to the 21st century! Trust me, "If it takes [reincarnation] for [you] to meet, it will have been worth it. I'll leave you to it!"**

The queens can tell that 'The Helper' is referring to something, but what specifically, none of them know. But they suppose that living with each other isn't going to be hard. What will be hard is getting used to the new technology that's all around them.

But it can't be that hard. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOA! Two chapters in one day?! Whaaaaa


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah, im not going into the transition, let's just skip to the aralyn, thank you

To everyone's surprise, it hadn't taken them that long at all to settle in the 21st century. About a week they'd say. The queens were surprised that some of their ladies had been reincarnated as well. With their help, plus a few conversations with 'The Helper', everything seems to be running smoothly.

Though they all know there's so much more to learn about each queen, some things have been deemed as obvious. Catherine clearly was the leader, the head of the household. Anne was the most mischievous, most energetic, no doubt about it. If you could describe Jane, the first words would be the 'mom friend'. Anna was, to put it in modern terms, badass, confident. Kat was the sweetest, and much to her denial, the child of the group. Cathy was seen as the quiet introvert who spent most of her time writing.

Now today, most of their true personalities have been shown throughout the month or so they've been in their new lives. Most of their questions have been answered, although new information and knowledge is being shared everyday. However one question still eats at the minds of two certain queens.

_Are we still soulmates?_

The other queens hadn't questioned why the first two queens were avoiding each other like the plague, assuming it was from rivalry that came with their past lives. However, a certain blonde could say differently. 

She knows that the two were very good friends. She knows that they were lovers. She also knows that what they had told everyone was a bit of a lie, as the silver queen had seen their Glow from a distance, and had been at their beheading, watching from the tower. From Henry's side. The pain and guilt in seeing her friends' heads get chopped off is unlike anything. Well, perhaps other than thinking Henry actually cared about her when she knew how he could get.

But before all that, she saw how happy they made each other. And to see them not together gave Jane a sort of mission. Similar to a young child she knew, but perhaps a bit easier, since they don't hate each other's guts at the moment. She never thought _she'd_ be the one to play matchmaker just like the young princess had.

Jane isn't sure why she'd decided to ask Anna for help. The two hadn't talked all the much yet, at least not just the two of them. Yet, something compelled third queen to go ask for the fourth's assistance. Knocking on the red queen's door, Jane waits for an answer.

"Come in." As she opens the door, Jane expects to see Anna doing something on her bed. Not a bright white flash....

Catherine was just walking out of the bathroom when she saw the starting of the Glow. Out of shock, she lets out a squeal, which causes the other members of the house to come see what's happening. Everyone stands outside the red queen's door, taking in her Glowing with the silver queen. When the colors disappear, there's a moment of silence before some murmurs can be heard. Jane walks out of the room, a blush very apparent. She takes a pause, realizing the presence of the other queens, before disappearing into her own room.

~ ~ ~

About a week later, Jane and Anna have officially started dating. The ability to be openly out and be able to show affection around other is something that both Catherine and Anne are jealous of. Though, neither are able to admit it if their stories have changed. If they don't want anyone to know they've had their Glow. If their soulmate doesn't remember. If their soulmate doesn't care.

Of course, Jane notices how the situation with the past lovers hasn't gotten any better. Knowing that she won't be comfortable doing this on her own, she turns to the other three queens for help. She doesn't mention the Glow aspect of it, only telling them about their apparent feelings for each other.

The first step would obviously be having them talk it out with them, then slowly let them come to their closure. Cathy and Jane would talk to the first queen, while Kat and Anna would consult with the second. Not all things are simple, but the third queen just hopes it all works out.

When the 'secret meeting' is dismissed, the pink and red queens waste no time in confronting the green. They knock on the door, but don't bother to wait for an answer as they walk in anyway.

"What the...."

"You like Catherine and there's no more hiding it!" Kat exclaims. Anne's facial expression is quite the interesting one, a range from surprise to confusion and a lot in between. 

"Bu-wha? How'd you..."

"Janey told us." The green 'queen' takes a moment to think. Jane knew that she and Catherine had been seeing each other before. But, why would this be something that she'd remember as significant? She hadn't known that the two were soulmates. Unless.

Does Jane know that she shared her Glow with Catherine? Has she told the other queens? Had they figured out her infatuation with the gold queen prior? Is she _really_ that obvious?

"Mind telling us about it?" The fourth queen continues. Considering her options, Anne could tell them everything, vent like she had been wanting to for so long and get them involved. Or she could keep lying and continue being a hopeless romantic. _.......The first option is better_. 

"OkaysobasicallyCatherineandIliedwhenwefirstmetwewereactuallyreallygoodfriendswellactuallywewereloversandthenHenrytoldushewasgoingtodivorceCatherineandmarrymesowewentintoourchambersbecauseifyoudidn'tknowwesharedabedbutlikenotinthatwaybutanywayswewentinsideandbasicallyIwaslike'Iwishyouweremysoulmate'andshe'slike'metoo'andsoonenoughwehadourGlowbutHenrywasthereandhesawitandhegotreallymadImeanwhowouldn'tandhehadusbeheadedonthespotandnowwe'rereincarnatedbutIhavenoideaifCatherineremembersorevencaresandhere'smejusthopelesslyinlovewithherandohmygodguyswhatthefuckdoIdo??" Anne gasps for air as she finishes her very unintelligible rant, as the other two blink twice, attempting to decipher what the green queen had told them.

"Um......come again?" After hearing Kat's request, Anne, who had since calmed down, gives them a much clearer summary.

"Catherine and I had our Glow in our past life, and we were beheaded for it. Now I don't know if she still likes me." In clarity, the red and pink queens form an 'o' with their mouths. "Guys, I seriously need help, what do I do?"

"Simple. Confess your feelings." Anne gives Anna a skeptical look. She just said she doesn't know if Catherine still likes her. And she wants her to confess? What is she thinking? "You're still soulmates, right?"

"But that was in our past life. If we've been reincarnated into a new life, wouldn't that mean we have different soulmates?"

"I don't think so. I mean Cathy and I still feel warm and fuzzy whenever we're together. Though, we only spent so much time together before I got beheaded..." This time, the two Anne's are the ones in shock.

"Back up. Cathy is your soulmate?" Kat's eyes widen at the unintentional confession. Something she'll have to talk to her girlfriend about later.

"Oh, um....yeah? I passed her in the hallway before, but when we made eye contact for the first time, we had our Glow." The other two think about it for a moment, and remembering their introductions, it vaguely made sense that they were each other's soulmates. "We were _planning_ to tell you during dinner, but now you guys know."

"Huh. So you had your Glow before all this, and you still feel all the soulmate stuff?" Anne speaks her thought process out loud to get some clarification. When she gets a nod, the green 'queen' keeps going. "Wait, but that's you guys. It's not like you were _actually together_."

"Maybe not, but before Henry had me arrested, we did end up confessing. We did have feelings for each other. Why else would Cathy be awkward during her marriage?" 

"You know, Anne, when she puts it that way, I think there's a high chance she's still head over heels for you." Another skeptical look is given to the two on a mission, who roll their eyes. "Have you even _tried_ to talk to her?"

"Or acknowledge her presence?"

"Or _look_ at her?"

"Guys, I get it!" At this interruption, Kat and Anna know that they've gotten into Anne's head. As much as they want to continue pressing, Jane had given specific instructions not to push further and let them sort themselves out. The fourth and fifth queens pretend to hear Jane calling them, and leave Anne alone in her room. 

_But does she still love me is the question. _

At the same time, another, more straightforward **(how ironic)** conversation is happening in Catherine's room.

"I'm terribly sorry to have lied to all of you." Catherine adds as she finishes her summary.

"It's okay. We understand. The two of you weren't ready to admit it to us yet out of fear, but now you are. That's what matters." Jane always had been one to be selfless and care for others.

"If I'm being honest, Kat and I kind of hid our soulmate-ship as well. Um, our Glow happened in our past life, and long story short, we still feel the same way about each other." Unlike the more energetic queens, Jane and Catherine can understand what Cathy is saying without having to think through it as much. They had been soulmates before, and being reincarnated isn't going to change that. "I'm sure you get my point."

"Yes, I do. But that doesn't necessarily change my situation. Anne is....Anne."

"As in unpredictable, or..."

"Just, so many things, I can only describe as herself." The silver and blue queens nod before the former makes her own point.

"Catherine, if it's judgement you're worried about, you won't find any here. After all, Anna and I are soulmates, as well as Cathy and Kat, and there are much more open same-sex couples out there." The gold queen purses her lips, the assurance actually giving her slight confidence. Though, this boost is about the size of a penny, as the pessimist in her seems to outweigh Jane's help. "Plus, I'm sure that Mary would kill to see the two of you together again."

Mary. _Her_ Mary. That clever, but stubborn, child. That child who had convinced her to confess to Anne (even though the latter had ended up confessing first). When she thinks about it, she'd still be mortal enemies with Anne if it weren't for her. Mary..... _would_ want them together again.

But as much as Catherine would want to confess.....again. One thing still tugs in the back of her mind.

_Yes, I still love her. But what if she doesn't?_


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's short because it doesn't need to be as long as the other chapters

Who knew that two women could be so absolutely stubborn and oblivious? The four queens spectating had no idea how painful it is to witness the ignorance emitting from the definite soulmates. Now they understand the original shipper's pain.

It's very tempting to pull a Mary and force them into confession. Had this been Kat or Anna's idea, the two would probably be locked inside a closet or a bedroom by now. Thankfully, this isn't the case. The only downside is having to wait yet _another_ week before anything happens.

According to what Jane remembers Mary telling her, the two only took about 5 days following her input. Though, after five days Mary had unleashed her plan to give them the final push. Jane would rather not do that.

One week after they had talked, the gold and green queens make genuine eye contact for the first time. If someone were to walk in, they'd think the pair is having a staring contest; however the queens know differently.

And it's a good couple of minutes before anyone talks.

"Anne, can we talk?" The first queen asks, just loud enough that everyone else could hear as well. With a nodded response, Anne follows Catherine up the stairs and into the latter's room. Both queens (everyone had come to the consensus to keep her title of queen, despite the true events) are silent. When both of them walk inside, Anne is the one to close the door, her back against it.

Almost immediately Anne pulls Catherine towards her, lips connecting, eyes fluttering shut. The first two queens have been doing this for just a couple of days, in the late hours of night, when the other queens are sleeping (or too immersed in her writing in Cathy's case). When their lungs demand air, the two pull away, the second queen deciding it's the perfect time to make a snarky comment.

"Someone's eager." The younger of the two tries to reconnect when the older pushes away, still breathing heavily.

"We need to talk. About this, about us." Anne purses her lips, not wanting to continue the conversation, but knowing she'll have to eventually, she nods and makes her way to sit on the edge of the bed. Catherine sits next to her, turning her body so she can properly face her past (and supposedly present) lover. There's a moment of silence, each woman waiting for the other to start.

"So......why did we start.....making out?" 

"Three days ago, you crept into my room in the middle of the night, I happened to be awake, and one thing led to another, we started kissing, etc. etc." Catherine responds as if she'd said it so many times before, when in reality this was the first. Though, she'd never admit that she had played the scene in her head multiple times a day.

Another moment of silence, as the realization of how long they've let this slide sinks in. Plus, the entire confusion that came with soulmates, Glows, and reincarnation.

"I'm going to be real with you, Anne. I-I still love you." Anne's reaction is a mixture of confusion, relief, and so much more. "You know, Kat and Cathy were much braver than we were about starting up again. But, I'd like to start later than not at all. So, unlike what happened in our past lives, I'd like to formally ask you: Would you be my girlfriend?"

Anne covers her mouth with both her hands, but it's very clear she is happy. The girl nods eagerly, letting a small giggle. 

"Yes, yes! Lina, I've felt the same way, oh my god, I can't believe it took us this long." Catherine shakes her head, pulling her official lover in for a kiss. 

And as two women who have waited so long, it's only natural that they'd get caught up in each other's lips. It shouldn't be seen as inconspicuous when Anne starts to lean back and tug Catherine on top of her.....

Unfortunately for them, they are loud enough for the other queens to hear from the main floor, causing each of them to blush.

"Do you guys wanna......get out of here?" The fourth queen doesn't need an answer as the third, fifth, and sixth queens almost instantly get up from their seats and start heading for the door. Yes, they will be scarred for quite sometime, but at least it's all for the better.

Because Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn have finally come together as soulmates.

* * *

_Everything in this world will pass away. In eternity only Love will remain._

_\--Pope Benedict XVI_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW LAST CHAPTER IS DONE BOIS!!!
> 
> (thank goodness, this whole thing was kinda bad--i stg i didn't think i'd reach almost 2000 hits whaa?)
> 
> i'll be writing an epilogue type thing to wrap things up, so keep watch!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> well this came out a lot sooner than expected lol

If you were to tell past Catherine of Aragon that’d she’d be reincarnated into the 21st century, be surrounded by five wonderful and powerful women, and that her soulmate is one of them, she’d laugh in your face.

And though it all came with hardship, Catherine of Aragon wholeheartedly says that it's worth it. All because of Anne Boleyn. The love of her life. Both lives, to be specific. Her friend. Her lover of two years. Her soulmate.

And hopefully her soon-to-be wife.

She, along with Jane and Cathy, had been planning to propose to their girlfriends for some time. Prior to the first meeting, none of them would think that they'd have a sort of 'triple-wedding'. Since they found out each one was planning a proposal, they've decided to combine forces and propose on the same day.

"Has anyone even _had_ three couples get married on the same day? Much less three same-sex couples."

"Well, we love our energetic girlfriends. If we proposed without this in mind, they'd find a way to convince us into it, no doubt about it."

"She has a point. Alright, are we all set?" With a nod of confirmation, the three queens dismiss the meeting to start preparing for their afternoon dates. _Let's hope this works_

~ ~ ~

The three couples part their separate ways. The last two queens take the car, the middle two walking their way to the bus stop, and the first two content with walking to their destination. 

For the gold and green queens, this is the local park. More specifically, one secluded spot in the shade that gives them just the right amount of privacy. Which will be perfect for Catherine's intention.

After they lay out their picnic blanket, they spend sometime talking about their jobs, what they've recently gotten into, anything and everything. Yet, somehow, a lot of it was just enjoying the other's presence, Anne strumming something on her guitar, and Catherine reading a book while resting her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.

It's when Anne suggests they clean up when Catherine makes her move.

"Wait." The first queen digs around her purse, scared at first glance that she had misplaced or lost the ring, but eventually pulls out the box. Despite the fact that both of them are still sitting, the Spaniard repositions herself so that she is kneeling on one knee in front of her love, the small box held out in between them both.

"What're you..."

"Anne, I know that when we first met, we hated each other's guts. I didn't want anything to do with you, because I thought that you were a threat. But, then we started to bond more and more, until eventually we had confessed for the first time." Tears have already started to form in the second queen's eyes, as she realizes what's happening. "Yes, our relationship has its rocky moments, and we've been through some hard times, but we got through them together. You are the most beautiful person in the world, and the love of both of my lives. And I am so _so_ glad that _you_ are who I shared my Glow with. That _you_ are my soulmate. And, today, I want to ask you," Catherine opens the box to reveal the ring, the gem sparkling against the sunlight. "If you would make me the happiest person in the world and marry me?"

Once her speech is done, Anne wastes no time to launch herself at Catherine, eagerly connecting their lips in a somewhat desperate kiss.

"Yes, yes, YES! Of course, I'll marry you! I want nothing less! You make me so so happy, Lina!" Catherine leans up and kisses her now fiancé another time. They can both taste their tears, but they're out of joy. It's all out of joy. When they pull back, the older of the two slips the ring onto the younger's hand. "It's perfect."

"The ring is great..." Another peck is placed on Anne's lips. "But you're the only perfect thing I see."

The rest of the date is spent with loving whispers and I love you's until they start to stroll back to the house. And to everyone's surprise, they all make it back at the same time. 

After a fit of giggles, the six queens make their way inside, three certain chaotic queens, extremely giddy.

"Alright everyone! Family meeting!" To anyone outside the loop, Jane's announcement would've sounded like it was made on the spot. To the blue and gold queens, this was the ending part of their plan. Once everyone is seated in the living room, by couple of course, Jane continues. "Now, why are the three of you so skittish?" The silver queen isn't kidding when she notices the three are about to burst of excitement. And frankly, that burst is what ended up happening.

"WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" Anne, Kat, and Anna turn to each other with shocked and confused looks. "Wait, you are too? Wait, what??" Each one turns to their ~~girlfriend~~ fiancé, who each is trying her best not to laugh. Of course, they all notice their forced neutral expressions.

"Explain yourselves!" Kat demands, which does cause the other three to release their laughter.

"Sorry Kitten. Long story short, we started planning to propose around the same time and decided to join forces and propose on the same day." The green, red, and pink queen's jaws drop for a second, before Anna makes a request of her own.

"Wait, now I wanna hear your how _you_ guys got proposed to!"

"No way! You go first!"

"In that case, I'm gonna take the lead and talk about mine first." The silver, blue, and gold queens smile widely at how excited their lovers are, and how eagerly they retell their stories.

_Yes. It is all worth it._

* * *

**Well, that’s the end of that story. A very interesting one, and one worth re-telling if I do say so myself.**

**What happened next? Well, whatever happens with other soulmate marriages I suppose. I wouldn’t know, I never stick around after that. I’ve got a whole bunch of other Glowings and soulmate-ships to make happen.**

**After all, I _am_ one of very many Glowmasters.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND NOW IT'S OFFICIALLY OVER! 
> 
> thx to everyone following along with the story, and hope you enjoyed reading!
> 
> cya later luvs! <3  
> <(^_^)>


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